The Environment Agency has announced only two designated bathing water sites on the River Thames have both been rated as having 'poor' water quality for bacteria harmful to human health.
Environmental charity Thames21 is calling for clearer targets and more urgent action to clean up popular swimming sites Wolvercote Mill Stream and Wallingford Beach.
At the moment, designated bathing water sites are tested for dangerous pollution by the Environment Agency that could make swimmers sick during the bathing season, which runs from May to September.
Samples taken by the Environment Agency throughout the bathing season help to produce an annual bathing water classification.
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Four years' worth of data is used to make a classification, allowing it to identify trends and target the appropriate pollution prevention measures.
However, between mid-May and September this year, the levels of these bacteria remained consistently below the level of concern, in the 'sufficient' to 'good' range, according to data published on the Environment Agency's Swiminfo website today.
Wallingford Beach was designated in May 2024, and has received a 'poor' rating for this season, due to spikes of bacteria in two of the 19 water samples taken.
Investigations by the Environment Agency suggest that bacteria at Wolvercote is coming from a mix of sources, not only sewage treatment works.
At Wallingford, Thames Water completed an upgrade to increase capacity at Benson sewage treatment works in March 2024 "but this season’s results make it clear that Wallingford Beach is still at risk of degradation of water quality after periods of rainfall", said Thames21.
The charity said it will "continue to work with local councils and the Environment Agency, and pressure Thames Water to tackle this pollution".
Thames21 is also calling for more urgent action from the Department for Environment,
Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency and water companies to clean up bathing water sites.
Thames21 Oxford Rivers project officer Claire Robertson said: “We want to see much clearer targets and plans from the Environment Agency as to how they are going to improve the water quality at Wolvercote and Wallingford, and in the Thames in general.
"Currently, if these sites are rated as 'poor' five years in a row, they are de-designated and the incentive for water companies and others to clean them up is removed.
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"Defra is currently consulting on removing this deadline, which we support.
“We also want to see many more sites designated on the Thames, receiving monitoring and water quality improvements.
"The thousands of people who use the River Thames each year to swim, paddle and play deserve a clean, healthy river they can visit without the fear of getting unwell.
"But more than this, having a river fit to swim in would have so many knock-on benefits: for nature, for tourism and our economy, for health and for sport and culture.”
Thames Water and the Environment Agency have been contacted.
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