December Newsletter

Mid winter greetings to you all! This is an especially detailed newsletter, so sorry for the long read, all of this information is very important and we want to keep you informed about the progress that we have made, and about ways that you can get involved to make a difference. There is a government consultation about bathing water designation that we would very much like you to respond to. We have put together a guide to help you navigate your way through it as the consultation is not very user friendly.

We have a once in a decade opportunity to shape the future of our waterways. We have until the 23rd of December to express our comments. We must share widely and get everyone in the community to participate. Adding your own elements to the responses rather than simply copying and pasting will ensure that they are given attention. Add details about how you engage with your bathing water sites and why this is important to you.

www.friendsofthedart.org/bathing-water-consultation

OEP Report Finds Outdated Regulations Pose Risks for Water Users in England

Protecting Water Users: Time for Change

A new report from the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) highlights the need to update England's regulations for rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. The existing Bathing Water Regulations, introduced decades ago, have not kept pace with how people now enjoy these natural spaces or with public expectations for safety and water quality.

Key Findings

• Current rules focus mainly on swimming and a fixed “bathing season,” ignoring year-round activities like surfing, paddleboarding, and windsurfing.

• Sampling locations and methods may not adequately assess health risks at larger or highly used sites.

• Public communication about water quality and risks needs improvement.

OEP Chair Dame Glenys Stacey stated, “While these regulations have driven significant improvements in water quality since their inception, they are no longer fit for today’s recreational needs.” She emphasised the need for a more expansive and effective approach to protect public health and enhance access to nature.

Recommendations for Action

The report outlines 12 recommendations for Defra and the Environment Agency, including:

• Expanding the scope of regulations to include more water users, such as surfers and year-round visitors.

• Revising how bathing waters are identified and monitored to better reflect current use.

• Improving systems for pollution risk forecasting and public communication.

• Setting ambitious, time-bound objectives for improving water quality.

Next Steps

Defra is currently consulting on updates to the Bathing Water Regulations, and the OEP hopes its findings will shape meaningful reforms. A government response to the report is expected within three months.

You can read the full report here

FRIENDS OF THE DART RESPOND 

Friends of the Dart welcome the report, in particular the recommendations to fast-track infrastructure improvements. Our response to the consultation included recommending:

• Year-Round Protection: Remove fixed bathing season dates to ensure year-round protection for both human users and the ecology that depends on the river. Protection should not vary by location as proposed by DEFRA.

• Inclusive Definition of Users: Expand the definition of "bathers" to include all water users (e.g., surfers, paddleboarders) and their pets. Rename the scheme to better reflect its broader purpose.

• Enhanced Testing: Introduce multiple testing points per site and expand testing to include substances like chemicals, PFAs, and plastics.

• End Automatic De-Designation: Poorly performing sites require continued protection and improvement.

• Rivers-Specific Approach: Recognize that rivers have unique needs compared to coastal waters. A radical, comprehensive review should address these differences while ensuring the safety of all users and the river's ecology.

• Ecology and Usage-Based Criteria: Designation criteria should prioritize ecological health and river usage with the broadest possible definitions, free from influence by polluters' capabilities.

WATER DESIGNATION UPGRADES

Our Defra designated sites have now been given an official designation as follows;

This is based on around 20 tests for ecoli and enterococci taken by the environment agency between mid May and the end of September.

Steamer Quay Totnes -  Poor

Stoke Gabriel - Sufficient

Dittisham - Good 

Warfleet Dartmouth - Excellent

Investigations Begin This Spring

Some positive news: A water designation upgrade is on the horizon as the first steps begin this spring. This milestone will see 14 separate assets earmarked for infrastructure updates, driving improvements to water quality in our cherished river.

Designation categories—Poor, Sufficient, and Excellent—provide an essential framework for water quality assessment. However, it’s important to remember:

A ‘designated bathing site’ does not guarantee safety for bathing. Instead, it means the site is tested for water quality.

While the system has its limitations, Friends of the Dart have leveraged it to bring attention to water quality concerns. This advocacy has had a real, tangible impact, contributing to legislative changes that drive meaningful action.

Understanding Bathing Site Ratings

Designating and upgrading bathing sites raises many questions:

What is a bathing site?

A designation indicating water quality testing, not necessarily a place safe or suitable for swimming.

What do ratings mean?

Poor: Fails to meet minimum standards.

Sufficient: Meets minimum legal requirements.

Excellent: Highest quality rating under the system.

Does ‘Excellent’ mean it’s safe to swim?

Not necessarily. These terms focus on testing outcomes, not overall safety.

This terminology can be misleading. Despite these challenges, the designation system remains a powerful lever to spotlight waterway issues and advocate for action.

Legislative Success

Thanks to the efforts of FOD and the support of the local community, 14 assets along the river have been fast tracked for infrastructure improvement. 

This is proof that collective advocacy works. While the terminology can obscure realities, these upgrades mark significant progress.

How We Got Here

For FOD this has been two years in the making. It has been thanks to the tireless efforts and enthusiasm of our teams of volunteers that we have been able to reach this point. Learn more about our core team here Would you like to support this work to continue by giving a regular or one off donation? 

FOD identifies problem areas along the River Dart

Thanks to the money raised by our Crowdfunder and grants from the Devon Environment Foundation and Nature Save Trust, we have been able to collate two years of comprehensive data and therefore identify key problem areas where pollution levels are high. We are now conducting in-depth testing at these sites to identify the sources of pollution and work with polluters to resolve these issues. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who donated for making this possible.

Friends of the Dart water technician Kit Cregan has been helping other river groups to establish high quality and effective testing programmes and supporting local farmers to identify pollution sources.

Our investigations highlighted high bacterial counts at Dartington Beach and Dartington Pontoon that did not correlate with CSO spill data or rainfall. This suggested there was a continuous pollution load being added to the Dart. Current monitoring indicated that treated effluent from Kilbury sewage treatment works (stw) was the source. Sampling took place above and below the STW and at downstream sites on 6 occasions when no spills were recorded to isolate the impact of treated effluent on water quality in the Dart. Treated effluent from Kilbury was found to be a significant source of bacterial pollution in the Dart, the effect of this is greater when river levels are lower, which coincides with the dry summer period when recreational use is at its highest. Read more about these investigations here.

Data collection

Friends of the Dart volunteers collected daily samples at the 4 Bathing water sites on the Dart, Steamer Quay, Stoke Gabriel, Dittisham and Warfleet Creek in addition to our regular testing. These samples were sent off for analysis at the University of York where they were analysed for Pharmaceuticals, PFAs, PAHs, Heavy metals, Pesticides, Nutrients and Antimicrobial resistance genes. This sampling effect took place for one week beginning on the 28th of June 2024. This week was a dry week therefore anything released would have come from treated sewage or dry sewage spills.

What was found

Of the 104 compounds tested for 54 were identified within the samples from the Dart. The concentrations of organic compounds (Pharmaceuticals, Pesticides, PFAs and PAHs) and Heavy metals, were all too low to be of immediate consequence to human health. However, this cocktail of pollutants could be much more harmful to wildlife due to continuous exposure and many species having lower levels of tolerance. 

This can further be divided up into:

- Pharmaceuticals (Antibiotics, Antihypertensives (Blood pressure), Antidepressants, Diabetes medication, Antihistamines, Painkillers and Laxatives.)

- Cosmetics (Antiseptics additives and preservatives)

- PFAS (PFOA, PFBA and PFNA). PFOA 

- PAH's which are a by-product of combustion. Long-term exposure is hazardous to health. 

- Lifestyle chemicals caffeine and nicotine.

The release of antibiotics into the environment is concerning due to the risk of antimicrobial resistance developing. 

Heavy metals

Concentrations of these were all below the required thresholds for drinking water. Again the impact of these is more likely to be felt by wildlife and they could easily bioaccumulate within the food chain. 

Antimicrobial resistance 

It looks like there is the presence of anti-microbial resistance genes from the data in the Dart. Steamer Quay may have had the highest levels of this however until guidance for this data is given stating claims around this might not be possible. 

Microbial Source Tracking

As part of a separate sampling effort to identify sources of bacteria within the Dart. This took place at Steamer Quay which has been classified by Defra and Friends of the Dart as having poor water quality, with bacterial levels consistently exceeding safe levels. The first sample sent has shown high levels of bacterial contamination from Humans and Ruminant species (Cows, sheep, deer and goats). Cattle and Pigs were identified as specific sources. The Human source within the river is clear evidence of sewage being released into the river. 

FRIENDS OF THE DART ATTEND BATHING WATER FORUM IN MANCHESTER

Hannah Pearson (Director) and Kit Cregan (Water Technician) from Friends of the Dart attended the Bathing Water Forum hosted by Surfers Against Sewage at The People’s History Museum in Manchester. This event was a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the national conversation on water quality. We joined speakers like Nathaniel Cole and representatives from the OEP, sharing ideas on the impact of bathing water designations and exploring the next steps needed to protect our rivers.

Connecting with other grassroots groups from across the country who are also working to safeguard their local rivers was an inspiring reminder that this is truly a national effort. Together, as community members from all over the UK, we are making meaningful progress toward influencing policy and legislation.

There Is Still Much to Do

Our work is far from over. Continued testing is critical as much remains unknown about the contamination affecting the river. It is vital to remain active participants in the national conversation about the health of our rivers.

Together, we must push for every possible effort to improve water quality in the Dart. Your support ensures that this vital work continues, keeping the river’s health at the forefront of environmental action.

Let’s Keep Up the Momentum!

Stay tuned for updates as investigations begin this spring. Your continued support makes these victories possible. Together, we’re making waves for a healthier, safer future for the Dart.

– Friends of the Dart Team

Friends of the Dart, CIC is a community group based in Devon UK

It is our mission to advocate for the River Dart.

We work to identify and minimise pollution, improve biodiversity and empower communities from source to sea.

We do this through scientific-based advocacy and constructive engagement.

We seek to contribute to the well-being of all other UK rivers, through shared best practice, leadership and collaborative working. 

All our work is supported by volunteers and donations. 

To support our work and the Dart click the link below