London’s Thames Gets First Official Bathing Spot as UK Adds 13 New Swim Sites

Swimmers will soon be able to dip into the Thames at Ham without waiting for unofficial tolerance. The stretch in south‑west London has been designated a bathing water area after campaigners showed thousands use the river year‑round.

Marlene Lawrence, founder of the Teddington Bluetits, said the new status is “amazing for the river and for the many people who enjoy it.” She added that the label should drive efforts to keep the Thames clean.

The Environment Agency will test the water every seven days for faecal indicator organisms such as E. coli and intestinal enterococci. Samples are collected by officers, analysed in labs, and results posted online within 48 hours. The bathing season runs from 15 May to 30 September, with weekly updates published throughout.

The Agency classifies water as excellent if E. coli stays below 100 colony-forming units per 100 ml and intestinal enterococci below 100 CFU/100 ml; good status allows up to 500 CFU/100 ml for either parameter. Results are compared against these limits each week.

Yorkshire Water is spending over £85 million on upgrades at the Ilkley site on the River Wharfe to cut sewage discharge and runoff. Similar investments are expected at other new river sites as the government expands the bathing‑water network under the EU‑derived Bathing Water Directive. Thirteen locations, from Canvey Island in Essex to the River Swale in Yorkshire, now carry the official designation.

This shift means more frequent monitoring, clearer data for swimmers, and a financial incentive for water companies to reduce pollution. Campaigners hope the tighter testing will force upgrades that lower sewage spikes and agricultural runoff. The first summer results, due in early July, will show whether the Thames at Ham meets the excellent‑water threshold.