Rivers minister Robbie Moore was in Knaresborough this morning to confirm the River Nidd had achieved bathing water status.

All 27 sites that applied for bathing water status were granted it today. The Stray Ferret reported earlier today that Knaresborough’s bid had been granted.

It means the Environment Agency will be obliged to act if tests find the river does not pass water quality checks.

Mr Moore joined Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones. who has led the Nidd campaign, at Knaresborough Lido to announce the news today.

Mr Moore said:

“The value our bathing waters bring to local communities is incredible – providing social, physical and positive health and wellbeing benefits.

“These popular swimming spots will now undergo regular monitoring to ensure bathers have up-to-date information on the quality of the water and enable action to be taken if minimum standards aren’t being met.

“I am fully committed to seeing the quality of our coastal waters, rivers and lakes rise further for the benefit of the environment and everyone who uses them.”

Mr Jones said it had been “a big community effort” and thanked those involved in what he described as “a constructive, positive approach to making our waterways healthier”.

He added:

“The Nidd is used by hundreds of people for recreation and the bid is all about helping them to do that in a consistently cleaner environment with water quality that shows sustained improvement.

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

Designated bathing water status is an official way of recognising that a waterway such as a river, beach or lake is a popular site for water-based activities.

Achieving it means that during each bathing season from May to September, the Environment Agency will test the Lido for pollutants.

If any sites do not meet regulatory standards the Environment Agency will investigate and create a plan to tackle the sources of pollution.

While Mr Jones’ office monitored the number of bathers at the Nidd last summer, Nidd Action Group carried out water quality sampling.

David Clayden, chair of the Nidd Action Group, said:

“The Nidd Action Group welcome the news of the bid’s success and will support and scrutinise the actions of the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water to improve our river’s health in the long term.

“We wish to keep the river as clean as practicable – not just for ourselves, but for all the communities that value the river and the wildlife which lives there. Thanks to the success of the bid we can look forward to a cleaner Nidd, fit for the future.”

“We are grateful to our local MP Andrew Jones and his team who volunteered to drive the bathing water bid forward so effectively.”

However, the clean water campaigner Feargal Sharkey said achieving the status was no guarantee of clean water. He posted on social media that sites currently with the status had not seen improvements.

Every single stretch of river currently designated as a bathing area has a 'Do not swim' advisory posted.

You have been warned. https://t.co/W0g1ptBNG1

— Feargal Sharkey (@Feargal_Sharkey) May 13, 2024

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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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