River Kent in Cumbria swimming with faecal bacteria

The Clean River Kent Campaign (CRKC) has released a study presenting the results of their water quality monitoring at six locations between February and September 2022 from Staveley to Sedgwick on the river Kent in Cumbria - a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The water samples were collected to a rigorous protocol by trained citizen scientists and analysed in an accredited laboratory for E. coli and Enterococcus spp.

The results show that at all six locations the quality of the river water was assessed as Poor (the worst category) due to high levels of faecal bacterial pathogens. 

Results were particularly bad at the location immediately downstream of Staveley Wastewater Treatment Works (sewage works).

This breakthrough study signals risks to human health and serious concerns for ecology and wildlife, said CRKC.

The quality of river water should be safeguarded by the water companies and their regulators, it said.

CRKC calls on both United Utilities, the local water and sewage company, and their regulators (the Environment Agency and Ofwat) to take action.

It also called on local organisations and policy makers to act together as a matter of urgency, to hold those responsible to account, and to work to clean up the river.

The results show that every one of the six locations failed to meet the minimum standard for Inland Bathing Water as defined by DEFRA.

CRKC has applied for bathing water status for a stretch of the river Kent to ensure that there is regular water quality monitoring by the Environment Agency going forward.

A coalition of over 100 volunteer citizen scientists, concerned about harmful pollution, collected water from locations along the river Kent at Staveley, Beckmickle Ing, Burneside, Kendal (Sandy Bottoms – Dockray Hall Bridge), Hawes Bridge and Sedgwick between February and September 2022.

All six locations are used regularly for swimming, water sports, angling and in summer families spend time on the banks of the river picnicking and paddling.

The river water was tested for E. coli and Enterococcus spp (two types of faecal bacteria) in an accredited laboratory.

Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said: “The data collected by CRKC and the Parish Council doesn’t surprise me at all. For years now, due to underinvestment in infrastructure, residents in Staveley have suffered from raw sewage regularly overflowing onto their streets as well as into the river.

“An FOI request by local people in 2021 disclosed that there had been an ’emergency’ discharge of untreated effluent 1,000 times during 2019 to 2021 directly into the River Kent from the Staveley sewage treatment works – an average of once a day. “

“These new results should be used to hold the responsible polluters to account.”

Dr Gill Notman, Senior Lecturer in Marine and Freshwater Conservation, Institute of Science & Environment at the University of Cumbria, said: “The hard work of this team of dedicated local volunteers has shone a spotlight on the threats facing not just the river Kent but many of our rivers in Cumbria.”

“Only 14% of UK rivers are rated “good” by the EU, and in the Lake District National Park only 4% of SSSI rivers are in favourable condition.” 

“We need to take urgent action to stop the on-going decline of our precious resources by unacceptable levels of pollution from various sources including wastewater treatment works, agriculture and septic tanks.” 

Carole Wood, CRKC member and resident of Kendal, said: “The river Kent is a unique river that has almost every designation possible – it is a national Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and an international Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to the presence of certain species including the white-clawed crayfish, bullhead and freshwater pearl mussel.”  

“It runs through the Lake District National Park with UNESCO world class heritage status and is cherished by local people and used for a wide range of recreational activities including world-class kayaking.

“However, despite all these designations it is still polluted.

“It is vitally important that our local river is cleaned up to protect this internationally significant environment for the future, for both the health of our communities and also to protect wildlife and biodiversity.”

A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We welcome the research done by the Clean River Kent Group and we support their bid for a site on the river to be designated as an official bathing water. 

“Our treatment works at Staveley operates according to its environmental permit and it is not required to remove bacteria.

“We work closely with the South Cumbria Rivers Trust which has produced a report looking at all the factors that affect the quality of the River Kent.  While wastewater is a factor, grazing animals, mining and private septic tanks are all sources of pollution which have an impact along the river. 

“We are committed to working in partnership with others across the whole river catchment to help improve river water quality.”