Oxford wild swimmers devasted at continued river pollution

There have been repeated sewage discharges in recent weeks, polluting the Thames in Oxford.

This has prevented people from swimming in the river and has raised concerns about the impact sewage is having on wildlife.

The Oxford Mail spoke to wild swimmers and councillors in Port Meadow to find out why the campaign is so important to them. 

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Kate Sheridan and Aeran Blood, wild swimmers from Oxford University, are disappointed that the current situation has been allowed to continue. 

Oxford resident, Mike Benson spoke about the deep emotional bond people get from swimming in the river.

He said: “You feel like you are forming a unique connection with your community and with nature.

“This definitely gets blighted and, in some ways, taken away with the knowledge of a constant sewage discharge.”

Liz, who did not reveal her surname, is a wild swimmer from Lechlade.

She added: “Swimming in rivers is one of the sole natural joys that we can partake in, and the water companies are taking that joy away from people.

“Parents are denying their children the pleasure of swimming in natural rivers because of their justifiable fear of the sewage that is being pumped into them.

“Our rivers should not be used as public toilets."

Liz from Lechlade on Thames enjoys wild swimming across Oxfordshire (Image: Olivia Christie)

Last year the area was granted bathing status, but Jo Sandelson, Liberal Democratic councillor for Wolvercote argued that this means nothing as the water keeps being polluted.

The pollution of the River Thames by Thames Water is a topic that has recently been discussed by Oxford City Council.

READ MORE: Thames Water branded 'worst of the rotten apples' in councillors debate

Lois Muddison is calling for a complete overall of the privatisation of water companies in the UK. 

A Thames Water spokesman said: “Taking action to improve the health of rivers is a key focus for us and our current investment programme, which is fully funded, will deliver major increases in treatment capacity at many of our sites.

"We’ve started a £15million upgrade of Witney sewage works which will increase the site’s treatment capacity by 60 per cent, with completion expected to be in early 2024.

"Fairford and Ampney St Peter sewage works will also receive significant increases to their treatment capacities and we’re currently finalising plans for a major £130million upgrade at Oxford sewage works. 

“As a member of the Oxford Rivers Project, who made the application for designated bathing water status at Wolvercote Mill Stream, we’ll continue to work with our partners to understand what more needs to be done to ensure consistently good water quality in the Thames.

"We are absolutely committed to protecting and enhancing our rivers and the communities who love them, and we want to make these discharges of diluted sewage unnecessary as quickly as possible. 

“We are the first company to provide alerts for inland waters and this ‘near real-time’ data is available to customers as a map on our website.

"We want to lead the way with this transparent approach to data and the alerts will be available through an open data platform for third parties, such as swimming and environmental groups, to use.

“Of course, what matters most is stopping the need for the discharges.  Our shareholders have recently approved a business plan that sees us spending an additional £2billion beyond what our customers are funding so we can improve outcomes for customers, leakage and river health. 

"This will allow us to deliver our commitment to a 50 per cent reduction in the total annual duration of discharges across London and the Thames Valley by 2030, and within that an 80 per cent reduction in sensitive catchments.”