Bathing Water Regulations

Morello highlighted the economic benefits of clean water and tourism in West Dorset, emphasizing the importance of clean water for local communities beyond health and nature. Made a point about the economic value of maintaining clean bathing waters for tourism revenue, estimated at £4 billion annually.

Van Mierlo discussed the perversity of requiring swimmers to brave dirty waters before clean-up, advocating for a recreational water designation that considers all river users. Talked about the topsy-turvy nature of the bathing water status, which can create all sorts of perverse outcomes in his communities.

Secured this debate to discuss improving bathing water quality in rivers, lakes and seas.

Proposes that there should be signs at designated bathing waters indicating the water quality to make it simpler for people using wild-water swimming and other pursuits to see if the water quality is suitable.

Emphasised the importance of maintaining public engagement in ongoing work to keep rivers clean and highlighted the need for continuous improvement to ensure water quality.

Perteghella discussed pollution threats to the River Avon and advocated for stronger regulations, legally binding targets, and more transparent testing to tackle water quality issues. Highlighted the importance of protecting biodiversity in our waterways and recognising the role of citizen scientists.

The surge in open-water swimming due to the pandemic raised concerns about public health and ecosystem risks, especially with sewage discharges over 100,000 times in designated bathing areas. The proposed reforms might reduce designated sites and fail to ensure water quality improvements. Discussed the public health and ecological aspects of maintaining bathing water designations in her constituency. She highlights the issue of prior testing affecting bathing water designation negatively. Clarified that bathing site status is seen as a mechanism to enforce the 'polluter pays' principle and stressed that designated sites are already being used as such due to their cultural, historical, and ecological importance.

In her constituency, a constituent's children fell seriously ill after swimming in a local river due to sewage discharges. She emphasised the need for stricter regulations on water companies and combined sewers.

Supports the need for more designated bathing water sites, highlighting the River Parrett which was discharged with sewage 54 times in 2023.

Farron praised Amos's debate and highlighted the importance of bathing water status in improving standards for those responsible for waterways quality. Suggested placing water quality monitors to measure the impact of toxic waste on river health and proposed a way to describe when it is safe for bathing.