River Wharfe at Ilkley: Bathing waters 'not tested in right place'

Water quality testing at a river popular with outdoor swimmers is not being done in the most polluted place, campaigners have said.

A stretch of the River Wharfe in Ilkley became the first in England to be a designated bathing site last year, meaning pollution will be monitored.

However, Ilkley Clean River Group said testing was taking place too far away from where raw sewage is discharged.

The Environment Agency (EA) said water was sampled where most people bathed.

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"In the case of the River Wharfe at Ilkley this is at Cromwheel, just upstream of the suspension bridge where there is the bend in the river," a spokesman said.

The EA, which is responsible for testing, said this was in line with bathing waters legislation.

Yorkshire Water, which operates the treatment works adjacent to the river, said: "All water companies in the UK have overflows that act as relief valves on the sewer network.

"Our network takes in rain water as well as foul water from properties, which means they can become overwhelmed when it rains heavily.

"When this happens they can discharge diluted wastewater into watercourses as it prevents the system from backing up and flooding customers' homes. All our overflows are regulated and permitted by the Environment Agency."

Becky Malby from the Ilkley Clean River Group said: "The EA has told us that there is little point testing downstream as the river is polluted.

"When it rains in Ilkley, raw sewage is discharged into the river, even at 8mm of rain, which is drizzle where we live.

"We have got a poorly maintained sewage system, it can't cope."

The group worked to secure Bathing Status as a way of triggering a clean-up of the river.

Ms Malby said testing had been agreed at several points on the Wharfe, with accompanying signs showing the water quality.

However, only one sign has so far been put up, meaning water will only be tested at that site.

The Clean River Group is set to meet Bradford Council later this week to discuss the issue.

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