Water quality in the River Nidd will probably not improve “for several years” despite having been granted bathing water status, according to the chair of the Nidd Action Group, which successfully campaigned for the designation. 

As we reported ahead of yesterday’s official announcement, Knaresborough Lido is one of 27 new bathing water sites named by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ahead of the 2024 bathing season, which runs between 15 May and 30 September. 

The status means that the Environment Agency will now test river water at the site regularly and have a duty to act if water quality does not come up to the required standard. 

Defra’s approval of the status has been hailed a victory for campaigners, who were led by NAG and enjoyed heavyweight support from Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough. 

But David Clayden, chair of NAG, said that although he was pleased with the result, it did not mean the matter had been settled, or that the river had been cleaned up yet. He said: 

“I’m certainly happy that we’ve established the Lido as safe bathing water. It’s a good move for the town, for people who use the Lido, and for the river in general. 

“I would suggest, though, that we won’t see any improvement for several years.” 

He said that the Environment Agency would now be testing river water at the Lido every week for the next 30 weeks, after which it will decide on the basis of the data collected what classification the Lido will have: ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’.  

Mr Clayden said: 

“I suspect it will be ‘poor’. The Environment Agency will then have to present a plan to improve the river’s water quality and work with Yorkshire Water and others to make it happen. 

“NAG’s actions now will be to keep on their tail, pressing, checking and challenging to make sure water quality does actually improve.” 

The lido for yesterday’s ministerial visit.

The campaign to have Knaresborough Lido designated as a bathing site came in response to long-standing concerns that the water in the River Nidd was dangerously polluted. 

In 2020, every section of the Nidd in the Harrogate district failed Environment Agency water quality tests, in part due to pollution from raw sewage. Since then, tests have consistently found high levels of harmful E.coli bacteria in the water.

E.coli in water is a strong indicator of faecal contamination and ingesting it can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, or even lead to more severe illnesses.

Nidd Action Group was set up by concerned residents and fishing enthusiasts in October 2022 and last year organised an army of volunteers to test water quality at sites along the river. They found that E.coli concentrations were strongest downstream of Oak Beck’s confluence with the Nidd and peaked in August, after wet weather caused Yorkshire Water to discharge untreated waste into the river. 

Earlier this year, a report from the Angling Trust found the Nidd to be among the UK’s most polluted rivers. 

The granting of bathing water status has been claimed as a victory for Mr Jones, who said: 

“Whilst I was quietly confident we would be successful I am delighted that we did it!” 

‘We deserve much better’

But his adversary Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, said that although the move was a “step in the right direction”, the government needed to do more. He said: 

“The government needs to go much further and stop sewage being pumped into the River Nidd and all swimming sites. Conservative ministers allowed disgraced water firms to spill sewage into the Nidd for a staggering 17,229 hours last year, a 113% increase on 2022.

“No swimmer should have to fear raw sewage making them sick. 

“Whilst the announcement is a step in the right direction, we deserve so much better. “

Mr Gordon said water companies would face punitive fines under Lib Dem plans to create a blue flag scheme for the Nidd. He added:

“Today the Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to make water companies criminally liable for their sewage pollution. I am urging Andrew Jones to back this and finally get tough on these firms.”

Rivers minister Robbie Moore and Andrew Jones MP at Knaresborough Lido yesterday.

Shan Oakes, the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said yesterday’s announcement came as “no surprise”, adding:

“As soon as we saw photos, some months ago,  of Andrew Jones MP posing with a minister, we knew that bathing water status would be conferred – because the Conservative Party wants Mr Jones to win here at the next election.

“This is laughable because it is Conservative policy which has led to the exponential destruction of our river habitats.”

Ms Oakes said bathing water status meant “very little in fact” because the Environment Agency, which will be responsible for monitoring water quality, “has been reduced  by the Tories to a tiny fragment of its original size” and “will have difficulty in carrying out this added responsibility”.

“To actually improve water quality, there needs to be a fundamental change in ideology.  That change is to stop depending on  ‘the market’ to run things. We need government to put back real dynamic regulation or to bring these public services back into proper public control.”

Read more:

• River Nidd at Knaresborough granted bathing water status
• Environment Agency investigating possible pollution of Harrogate’s Oak Beck
• Environmentalists respond to Nidd and Ure sewage spill figures

The River Nidd has been granted bathing water status at Knaresborough Lido.

Environment minister Robbie Moore is expected to announce the news this morning.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs received 27 applications for bathing water status this year.

Decisions were expected in spring and well placed sources have told us that the application for the Nidd, which was submitted by Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, is among those approved.

It means the Environment Agency will be obliged to undertake measures to improve water quality at the Lido, which will impact the rest of the river.

Andrew Jones (right) and Environment Secretary Steve Barclay discussing the bid.

As part of the Defra submission, Mr Jones’ office ran surveys last summer on the number of bathers using the Lido, which revealed the venue attracted 276 bathers a day on average during summer.

Water sampling work was carried out along the river by Nidd Action Group, which was formed by fly-fishermen concerned about water quality and now also includes academics, charities and volunteers.

Volunteers involved in water sampling.

Achieving bathing water status will mean that during the bathing water season from May to September, the Environment Agency will test the Lido for pollutants and designate it either ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’.

If it is not rated highly, the government agency will create a plan to tackle the sources of pollution.

Only two rivers, including the Wharfe at Ilkley, currently have bathing water status and the water quality of both is currently rated ‘poor’ so there are concerns about how effective designation is.

The state of the Nidd came under sharp focus last year.

Nidd Action Group sampling revealed high levels of the faecal bacteria E.coli.

Last year Knaresborough Bed Race competitors were advised to keep their heads above water to avoid the risk of swallowing water containing sewage.

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