A campaign group has claimed two people have fallen ill in the last week with E.coli, after bathing in a North Yorkshire river.
The group, Stop Ure Pollution, also claims that one of the two people was hospitalised as a result of bathing in the river in mid-Wensleydale.
Professor Richard Loukota, the group’s leader, has carried out weekly tests at various points along the River Ure, including Ulshaw Bridge (four times), Aysgarth Falls (twice) and Worton (once).
Professor Loukota used a hand-held testing kit, called Bactiquick, which detects a wide range of endotoxins including E.coli and salmonella. The test shows a red light and a numerical value if there are high levels of endotoxins in the water.
Two tests were carried out at Aysgarth Falls on July 20 and 27, and according to the campaign group, both tests had a red light and a numerical value.
The samples were then sent to a registered lab and to Save Our Swale, a community group working to keep the River Swale clean for water-based recreation and wildlife, in Richmond for further E.coli testing.
The group has said the endotoxins and E.coli levels were shown to be a high risk for humans and dogs to bathe in the River Ure safely.
Bactiquick results are ‘high risk’ at levels above 58 ERU (endotoxin risk units), and the results from the River Ure have been 151, 166, 151, 149 and 146.
The Environment Agency was contacted, but did not want to comment directly on the claims. It is understood that the River Ure is not a designated bathing space.
On reports of two people being taken ill with E. coli after bathing in the water, Professor Loukota said: “This situation is very concerning and all water users should be aware of the risks, take the appropriate hand hygiene steps and should avoid ingesting river water particularly after rainy weather, when Combined Sewage Outlets are most likely to discharge and animal faecal matter is more likely to be washed into the river.”
The Government has a dedicated page on guidance on healthy swimming.
Rivers and open water locations that are not designated bathing spots are managed for the purpose of protecting fish and wildlife, not people, so health risks from using these locations may be higher than at designated bathing waters.
The section reads: “These waters are not monitored for the two types of bacteria; intestinal enterococci and E.coli, which are used to assess bathing water quality.
“They can contain levels of sewage, faeces from livestock and pollution from farming or industry which are harmless to wildlife but would not be acceptable in designated bathing waters.”
Share