Hundreds of communities living near rivers are missing out on getting access to bathing spots due to complex rules that exclude the areas most polluted by sewage, campaigners have warned.
The Government has announced 13 new outdoor swim spots at beaches and rivers in England as the official bathing season starts today.
Gaining bathing status for a stretch of river unlocks greater investment from water companies and means that the Environment Agency must regularly test the water quality at the site.
In recent years, there has been a concerted campaign by groups across the country to gain bathing status for rivers as part of efforts to clean-up England’s waterways.
Hundreds of rivers sites being blocked
