ENGLAND’S first ever designated bathing water on a stretch of river in Ilkley has been classified as Poor by the Environment Agency.

Bathing waters are monitored for sources of pollution known to be a risk to bathers’ health, with up to 20 samples taken from each site during the bathing season. Each sample is tested for bacteria, specifically E coli and intestinal enterococci.

Along the Yorkshire coast there are 18 bathing waters from Withernsea in the south to Runswick Bay in the north, with 16 of them classified as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’.

The seven Yorkshire bathing waters classified as ‘Excellent’ are: Flamborough South, Danes Dyke Flamborough, Scarborough North Bay, Cayton Bay, Reighton, Runswick Bay, and Whitby.

This is the first year that part of the River Wharfe in Ilkley, has been given an official classification after being added to the list of bathing waters in 2021.

Initial investigations this year by the EA and partners suggest a variety of bacteria sources including human and animal DNA are impacting water quality in the River Wharfe.

The designation comes as Yorkshire Water announced new investment of up to £13 million to improve water quality in the area. This will include extra disinfection measures and a new scheme to reroute the sewage network in areas upstream of the bathing water site.

Environment Agency area environment manager for Yorkshire Martin Christmas said: “All eyes have been on Yorkshire this year after the first river bathing water in the country was designated in the county.

“The Environment Agency has already established a strong partnership approach to improving water quality at the newly designated stretch of the River Wharfe and we’ve put in place enhanced monitoring to help understand what is impacting bathing water quality.

"We are at the beginning of the journey at the site in Ilkley and we’re committed to working with the community, Yorkshire Water, local farmers, local authorities and other organisations to improve bathing water quality in the years to come.”

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “Water quality is an absolute priority. We are the first Government to direct Ofwat to prioritise action by water companies to protect the environment and deliver the improvements that we all want to see.

“But we must go further to protect and enhance water quality. Our Environment Act puts in place more protections against water pollution than ever before, we are investing in programmes to support farmers to tackle water quality issues, and we are clear that where water companies do not step up we will take robust action.”

Becky Malby of the Ilkley Clean River Group, who secured bathing status for the river in a bid to clean it up said: "We have been campaigning for a river fit for wildlife and people. The Environment Agency testing downstream of the sewage works, at the Stepping Stones confirms the Ilkley Clean River Group testing that the river in this section is so polluted it is not fit for anyone to use the river on any day of the year no matter what the weather. It is a public health hazard.

"Ilkley Clean River Group has asked the Environment Agency to review the licence at Ilkley that allows the enormous amount of sewage discharges, double what should trigger an EA investigation, and which has been going on for the three years of our campaign. Whilst James Bevan, CEO of the EA promised quick action when we met him in 2019, so far there is no progress at the sewage works. So whilst we welcome the cleaning up of the Wharfe from Grassington to Ilkley, the main polluter of the river at Ilkley has been left out. In addition the work to stop the manholes popping sewage along the riverside footpath, is shunting the problem downstream to the sewage works.

"The welcome investment upstream must not detract from the urgent and necessary work that needs to happen in Ilkley to clean up our river so it is fit for people and wildlife."