Date: May 2026
A BBC investigation has found that 12 of England’s 14 official inland river bathing sites are currently rated “poor”, meaning signs advising people not to swim are in place at almost all of them. Only two locations had acceptable water quality. The contamination is linked to bacteria from human and animal faeces, largely as a result of sewage discharges and agricultural run-off.
The government has announced six new river bathing sites this summer, including the first on the Thames in London. But the existing sites tell a depressing story. The River Wharfe at Ilkley in Yorkshire has rated “poor” every year since it was first designated in 2020. When it rains, it can contain tens of thousands of E.coli units per 100ml of water – anything over 900 triggers advice to stay out.
The most revealing detail in the BBC’s report is that campaigners say that getting a river officially designated as a bathing site has become one of the most effective ways to force water companies to clean it up. Once designated, the Environment Agency has to test the water regularly. Once tested, the results are public. Once public, the pressure on water companies to invest builds.
One campaigner described the situation as “disgustingly bonkers” – the best way to get a polluted river cleaned up is to turn it into a swimming spot.
What this means for Southern Water customers
This isn’t about rivers, but the principle is identical. Water companies respond to scrutiny, monitoring and public pressure. Left alone, the pattern is clear: underinvestment, pollution, and bills that keep rising regardless.
Brighton’s coastal bathing water quality fell from “excellent” to “good” in 2022. The Surfers Against Sewage alert map exists because checking whether it’s safe to swim has become something people have to do, not something they choose to do. That’s not normal, and it shouldn’t be accepted as normal.
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