Sea swimmers advised to keep their mouths shut to avoid getting ill
The comments were made by Wessex Water's Environmental Solutions Director to BCP councillors
Last updated 1st Feb 2022
Presentations about protecting the sea and local watercourse from pollution have raised more questions than answers – according to at least one local councillor.
There was also been criticism of a remark from a water company director about the risk of bacteria in open water and swimmers being safer if they kept their mouth shut while exercising.
Wessex Water and the Environment Agency sent their representatives to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council’s overview committee on Monday to answer questions about recent pollution incidents and what was being done to improve the situation and protect the environment.
But Cllr Chris Rigby said the talks had raised more questions – about the standards which applied, to which level systems were designed for and why bathing water was only tested May-September when more people were swimming year-round.
He disputed the claim that many of the incidents had been mis-reported by the press.
Cllr Rigby said that sustainable urban drainage systems were being designed for a 40 per cent increase in capacity – but other systems did not seems to be being upgraded to the same level.
Cllr Lesley Dedman (Mudeford) said her local MP was lobbying for year-round testing, even if Wessex Water were not.
“Testing for the bathing season is just not enough” she said, also raising the question of why what she said was 90 per cent of water company profits being paid out in dividends to shareholders.
“I cannot see the link between making the customer pay and these huge dividends,” she said, claiming that many thought the water companies ought to be brought back into public ownership.
Cllr Ann Stribley (Parkstone) said that while she appreciated the discharges, of sewage with other untreated water, were not illegal she said they were totally unacceptable.
“Just because you can do it ten times a year there is no reason why you should do it ten times a year,” she said, accusing the water companies of being more interested in driving up profits rather than improving water quality.
She said that the trend for cold-water swimming was increasing and testing was needed all year round.
Cllr Stribley said to carry on as if nothing was happening was ‘completely unacceptable’ : “If we are going to say the water’s reasonably ok but keep your mouth shut…that’s unreasonable, I’ve never heard anything like it,” she said referring to a comment made during one of the presentations by Wessex Water’s environmental solutions director Ruth Barden.
“The only way you will not get ill from consuming water is if you consume tap water; if you go swimming with your mouth open it is not free from bacteria, so that is something to be aware of,” said Ms Barden.
The comment was also picked up by Cllr Vikki Slade: “I have to say how disappointing it is to hear the regulator (environment agency) talk about public sensationalism and the water board telling us that if we go along with our mouths open we should expect to get infected – I’m mortified to hear that in a public meeting and it shouldn’t be acceptable.
“We live in the 21st century. It is not sensationalism to expect water to be clean for goodness sake…I’ve never heard anything so awful.”
She said the Wessex Water website showed that with few exceptions there had been increased cases of pollution, almost everywhere expect around Bournemouth and Boscombe piers.
“I just worry that what should be exceptional circumstances is now being deemed ordinary and that can’t be right,” she said.
Ruth Barden told the meeting that volunteers were now being used to take out of season water quality samples, although she said all of bathing water areas along the Dorset Coast were rated either good or excellent.
Environment Agency manager for the Wessex area, Ian Withers, said that he would take back the message about the need for an extended period of water quality testing.
The meeting adopted a motion to lobby Government about improving water quality levels for both bathing and shellfish areas.
WESSEX WATER RESPONSE
A Wessex Water spokesperson said:
“The advice from both Public Health England and wild swimming groups is to avoid ingesting river, lake or sea water while swimming as there will always be bacteria in the sea – from wildlife faeces and run-off from agricultural land, as well as regulated storm overflows and treated sewage discharges.
“Ruth Barden was reiterating that advice and emphasising that the only water guaranteed to be free from bacteria is tap water. While bathing waters in the BCP area are classified as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’, this doesn’t mean they are without risk.”
Ruth’s presentation explained that storm overflows operate under permits from the Environment Agency, which are designed so discharges don’t impact on water quality. Wessex Water’s online Coast and Rivers Watch system notifies when they operate, enabling recreational users to decide whether or not to choose to swim at that time.
The spokesperson added: “In an ideal world we wouldn’t have overflows, but separating out surface water will require enormous investment and disruption.
“We are monitoring and reporting all overflow operations; identifying the ones that will potentially cause environmental or public health harm, addressing those and then progressively working through the others.”