More sports join Swim England and other bodies in call for clean water

Four new sports have joined Swim England and a collection of national governing bodies to tackle the issue of water pollution.

In April, Swim England joined forces with Angling Trust, British Rowing, British Triathlon, GB Outrigger, Paddle UK and Royal Yachting Association to form the Clean Water Sports Alliance.

They have now been joined by Surfing England, British Kitesport, British Sub-Aqua Club and the British Dragon Boat Racing Association, adding more voices to the campaign.

The issue of water quality has been thrown into sharp focus again in recent weeks as almost half of Team GB’s medal haul at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games came from water-based sports.

The Alliance’s concern is that we risk future success if nothing is done to tackle the huge problem with water quality in the UK.

As well as welcoming new members, the CWSA has also engaged with major water companies, such as Severn Trent Water, and their trade body, Water UK, to share collective data and expertise on issues, including water testing.

The Alliance welcomed the Secretary of State’s announcement of the new Water (Special Measures) Bill and promise of further reform.

The Alliance look forward to on-going discussions with Ministers and officials to ensure that plans for the industry meet the demands of their members for safe, clean environments where they can enjoy being on, in or under the water.

Swim England chief executive officer, Andy Salmon, said: “We are delighted that four more sports have joined the Alliance and are committed to tackling poor water quality in the UK.

Genuine threat

“The Olympics and Paralympics again underlined how successful we are as a nation in water-based sports but the alarming health of our waterways is a genuine threat to future generations enjoying similar success.

“As an Alliance we are working hard to force Government, water companies and polluters to take action to improve our waterways for the benefit of swimmers, all water users, wildlife and the environment.”

The Alliance, which represents thousands of members, elite athletes and millions more recreational water users, has set out three priorities that will inform its actions:

1. Further and faster action on pollution. Improving the health of UK waters by 2030.
2. Enable people to make real-time informed choices about where and when to participate in water-based sports and activities.
3. Recognition of all recreational water users across decision making and policy.

Aligned to its own priorities, the Alliance is making three asks of regulators and decision makers:

1. Regulators to be adequately funded to monitor, investigate and hold polluters to account, harnessing nature-based solutions.
2. Enable accurate access to real-time water quality information all year round including the compulsory monitoring of all sewage outlets; recognition of open source science relating to water quality and the creation of a centralised information hub for all water sports users.
3. Advocate a change from ‘bathing waters’ to ‘recreation waters’ within government policy to recognise the wide range of activities that depend on clean water.

The UK has continued to score near the bottom of the European bathing water quality index, with the limited action currently being taken not making significant improvements.

Biodiversity is also being put under immense pressure, threatened by pollution as well as by invasive species which alter our ecosystems, introducing new pathogens and costing the UK £4 billion a year according to a 2023 paper.

Advocating for the restoration of the UK’s blue spaces for the enjoyment of all, the Alliance want to see these environments free of pollution and havens for wildlife, as well as places for everyone to be active in sport and recreation.