To swim or not to swim?
Given that the River Rother and its tributaries are a focus for much of our practical work, be that with Himalayan Balsam pulling or our E.coli testing of river water, it is inevitable that we regularly get asked if it is safe to swim in the Rother. We feel strongly that it is not our place to make that decision for you, but we can certainly help you by giving you all the information we have amassed and, with the help of this Rivers Trust article we are happy to pass on a few safety tips for if you do decide to go into the Rother for a dip.
Our Data
All the information from our own river water testing can be seen on our E.coli page and our latest data is now even easier to see as we have added a table at the top of the page specifically for the latest results from each of our regular testing sites.
We use Fluidion technology to measure the E.coli in the water. This page on the Fluidion website tells us that at the Paris Olympics where Fluidion technology was used to measure E.coli in the Seine, a result of 1000 E.coli/100mL was used as the threshold ‘for good inland water quality [as] published by the World Triathlon’. Our understanding is that above this 1000 E.coli/100ml threshold a specific decision had to be taken by a medical team as to whether the swimmers were to be allowed in the water. At the time of writing, of the 9 latest results recorded on our website, 6 were over 1000. Of those 6, 2 were well over 9000!
Before making a decision as to whether to swim in the river or not, please always check our latest test results (link above) plus Southern Water’s own Rivers and Seas Watch site where they are legally obliged to report any discharges of untreated wastewater (which will include sewage) from any of their sites which have an Event Duration Monitor (which is the vast majority of their sites).
Of course, pollution can also come from septic tanks, agricultural run-off and road run-off. They are all trickier to monitor.
River Swimming Safety Tips
The following is lightly adapted from this Rivers Trust page.
Check the weather: Heavy rain and wind can cause rivers to become unpredictable. In addition, high winds can cause hazardous debris to accumulate beneath the surface.
Check the flow: Unless you’re an exceptionally strong swimmer, stay away from rivers with a fast flow.
Check the depth: Even rivers which seem shallow can drop off suddenly.
Check the temperature: Even on a sunny day, rivers can be exceptionally cold! Make sure you test the temperature before you get in to avoid having your breath taken away; the shock of cold water can be incredibly dangerous.
Swim with a buddy: It’s best to take a friend along, but if you’re on your own, make sure you let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
Have an exit plan: Make sure there is an easily accessible spot to get into (and more importantly, out of) the river.
Stay sober: Drinks and drugs can seriously impact your judgement and your ability to swim.
Be boat aware: Many watercourses are used by boats, so it's important to be conscious of this when you're choosing a river to swim in.
Don't dive: Even in well-known swimming spots, rocks and debris can shift beneath the surface. For this reason, it's never a good idea to dive into the water.
Is it clean?
Sewage discharges: You can see where storm overflows discharge untreated sewage in to rivers on Rivers and Seas Watch for the Southern Water area, or nationally at Sewage Map. A good rule of thumb is to never swim in the days following heavy rain.
Weil’s Disease/Leptospirosis: the actual risk of contracting leptospirosis is relatively low, but it’s still important to reduce your risk. Make sure than any cuts are covered with waterproof plasters, and never swim in stagnant water.
Blue green algae: Over summer, blooms of these algae can pop up. They are dangerous to humans and can be fatal to dogs.