Hundreds more waterways in England used recreationally than recorded by government, data finds
A wide-ranging analysis of the ways that England's waterways are used for recreation by the government has found 3,347 'water recreation locations' in rivers, lakes and seas around the country. These are places where people take part in activities including swimming, rowing and paddleboarding. The Environment Agency had previously identified 342.
Of these 3,347 areas, 1,727 were used for swimming, 1,706 for paddle boarding, 220 for rowing, 1,065 for sailing and 87 for surfing. Hugely popular inland areas included waterbody catchments around the Thames, Great Ouse, Cam, Nene, Tyne and Trent rivers and the natural lakes of the Lake District national park.
The number of annual licences to use unpowered watercraft such as rowboats, canoes and paddleboards has more than doubled, rising from 45,000 in 2017 to 100,000 in 2023.
Dani Jordan, the director of campaigns and communities at Surfers Against Sewage, said: 'This research only confirms what we've been saying for years. England's wild waters are alive with swimmers, surfers, sailors and paddlers all year round.
But the rules meant to protect them are stuck in the past.'
There are just 451 official bathing sites in England – those within 500m of each other were not counted twice, to avoid including the same watercourse twice in the data.
Only bathing areas that are designated as such by the government are tested for pollution to ensure they are safe for swimming, and these are tested only in the months marked as the official bathing season. However, the rainier months often bring more sewage pollution into England's waterways as sewers become overloaded. The report found that only 20% of the areas used for swimming are within 500m of a designated bathing water monitoring point.
Campaigners have been pushing for more rivers and lakes to be designated as bathing waters in order to put pressure on water companies and the government to clean up England's waterways.
Recent research found that England's bathing waters are five times more likely to be polluted with bacteria than those in the EU. E coli and other bacteria from sewage pollution dumped by water companies has plagued many outdoor recreation events in recent years, including the Boat Race in London.
Experts have called for the government to step up testing outside the official bathing season, test more areas and come up with a strategy for removing pollution.
Richard Benwell, the chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'With huge demand for clean, safe waters year-round, we need more bathing waters designated alongside clear, time-bound measures to improve water quality. Public health and nature recovery must go hand in hand, creating thriving rivers, lakes and coasts where wildlife flourishes and people can enjoy spending time in and around the water.'
Jordan said: 'Right now, water quality testing and bathing water laws are not fit for purpose. Most of our blue spaces aren't even monitored – and that's unacceptable. With bathing water reforms due this year, the government must act on this evidence, committing to year-round testing and protection for all water users – not just the narrow band of 'bathers' recognised in the current regulations.'
Dr Robert Bradburne, the chief scientist at the Environment Agency said: 'For the first time, we have robust and insightful data on how people use our waterways on a national scale.
'Communities are using our rivers, lakes and seas for many reasons and it is clear that the way people interact with their local water environments has changed over time. We want to support water users by helping them to make informed decisions when out on the water.
'This data will help us to plan our resources effectively as we work with the government to implement their bathing water reforms.'
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