There is no shortage of concern about the state of the River Nidd, as a busy public meeting in Knaresborough demonstrated this week.

About 70 people turned up at Gracious Street Methodist Church on Tuesday to listen to academics, anglers, environmentalists and politicians and to find out how they could get involved in the attempt to achieve bathing water status.

Just two rivers in England — the Wharfe in Ilkley and Wolvercote Mill Stream in Oxfordshire — currently have bathing water status, which obliges the Environment Agency to put plans in place to monitor and protect the water.

Nidd Action Group has been set up to coordinate the initiative.

James McKay, a Knaresborough resident and manager of the Water-Wiser centre at the University of Leeds, told the Stray Ferret at last week’s meeting Nidd sampling had begun and the campaign had the funds and expertise to achieve its goal.

Mr McKay said the group needed to demonstrate enough people used the river recreationally for the campaign to be successful.

James McKay speaking at the meeting

He said the process of achieving bathing water status wasn’t easy but “it’s the only thing we can do to make a real difference to water companies”.

Mr McKay said water companies were obliged in 2023 to update their water resource management plans for the next five years and the goal was to achieve bathing water status by then. He added:

“If we succeed it won’t have an immediate effect. The first thing that would happen is Yorkshire Water would have to do its own sampling. But over the next couple of years it could start to make a big difference.”

Untreated sewage

Although Knaresborough Lido is the focus of the campaign, if bathing water status is achieved it would bring improvements to the upper reaches of the 56-mile Nidd, including around Pateley Bridge, which flow into the Lido.

Alan Paterson addressing the meeting 

Alan Paterson, of Nidd Action Group, told the meeting the three main causes of river pollution were sewage, agricultural contaminants and urban run-off. He said the first two were the main issues affecting the Nidd.

In 2021, Yorkshire Water pumped untreated sewage from 81 locations into the River Nidd 2,552 times – for 18,346 hours, or 764 days.

Mr Paterson said Yorkshire Water’s plans to clean-up the Nidd were “good but would take far too long” and bathing water status would oblige it to act sooner.

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has led on the campaign to achieve bathing water status and has been looking for volunteers to undertake surveys before he can submit an application. He has also raised the matter in Parliament.

Mr Jones wasn’t at the meeting but Stephen Culpin, a member of his office, was. Mr Culpin said afterwards the intention was to finalise and submit the application by the end of October.

Mr Jones (left) with Frank Maguire, the owner of Knareborough Lido.

The government’s record on sewage discharge has been fiercely debated. Mr Paterson said declining funding to key regulators such as the Environment Agency suggested ministers did not take the issue that seriously but he added that although the action group was “entirely apolitical”, Mr Jones deserved praise for his efforts.

“If he gets some brownie points then fair play to him because we need that bathing water status to improve the quality of water Yorkshire Water is discharging. I’d be deliriously happy if my MP, Julian Smith (the Conservative for Skipton and Ripon) got involved but he hasn’t.”

Mr Paterson added “rivers should be safe and clean to play and bathe in — it’s a right, not a privilege” and people attending the meeting were encouraged to volunteer by undertaking roles such as counting river users.

Wild swimming

Numerous groups attended the meeting but some river users, such as wild swimmers and kayakers, weren’t and some felt the campaign still needed joining-up more.

But the turnout and enthusiasm generated widespread optimism that people might soon be able to swim in the Nidd without a high risk of falling ill, as happened last summer.

Tuesday’s meeting at Gracious Street Methodist Church

Shan Oakes, a Knaresborough town councillor and member of Harrogate and District Green Party said:

“It was a hugely successful event and I feel confident that more like it will follow, bringing the community together to try to stop the pollution and bring back life to our lovely river.”

Yorkshire Water ‘keen to work in partnership’

Two days after the meeting, councillors on North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee questioned a representative of Yorkshire Water as the issue of bathing water status was aired again.

Monika Slater, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Bilton Grange and New Park, told the meeting Leeds University researchers were now taking Nidd samples monthly and this would increase to fortnightly in May.

But she added the samples had so far discovered the harmful bacteria E. coli was at “concerningly high” levels.

Bilton Conservation Society is also sampling at Oak Beck, which empties in the Nidd at Bilton.

Sarah Robinson, from the corporate affairs team at Yorkshire Water, told the meeting:

“There are lots of influences on bathing water quality. It isn’t just about our assets — in some ways that would be easier because we could control that. “

The big issue for the Nidd, Ms Robinson added, was going to be agriculture, such as chemical run-off caused by farmers’ sprays. Dogs running in water also had “a massive impact”, she added. But she said the company was “very keen to work in partnership” to address problems.

The next six months will determine whether the good intentions, and the disparate interests, can be harnessed to achieve real change for the Nidd.

A public meeting is being held in Knaresborough this month as part of a campaign to achieve bathing water status on part of the River Nidd.

Concerns about Nidd water quality increased last summer amid reports of numerous people falling ill.

Nidd Action Group, which includes individual Knaresborough town councillors, environmental campaigners, anglers, councillors and community groups, is holding the meeting at Gracious Street Methodist Church on March 14.

Members of the public are invited to attend to find out how they can get involved.

The action group was formed after Nidd Catchment Angling Group held a meeting in October last year to address water quality concerns.

The action group aims to achieve bathing water status at the Lido, which would oblige the Environment Agency to put plans in place to monitor and protect the water.

Knaresborough town councillor Shan Oakes said:

“The campaign is focussing on raising public awareness and initially getting bathing water status for parts of the Nidd near the town including the Lido – which would then lead to an imperative to clean up the whole river.”

Academics and research students from the University of Leeds will give short talks at the meeting on the issues and those involved will answer questions.

Read more:

• Harrogate and Knaresborough MP to ‘submit case’ for River Nidd bathing water status in 2023
• Knaresborough town crier Roger Hewitt to retire

A leaflet advertising the event says the Nidd “is facing ecological disaster due to pollution (especially sewage)”.

It adds:

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has said he intends to submit a case to government to achieve designated bathing water status on the River Nidd next year.

Concerns about Nidd water quality increased in summer this year following reports of numerous people falling ill after entering the water.

A campaign to achieve bathing water status on the Nidd near the Lido at Knaresborough would oblige the Environment Agency to put plans in place to monitor and protect the water.

Writing on his Community News website, Mr Jones said he intends to work with businesses and residents to submit a case to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2023.

He said:

“One feature of last year was the ‘yah-boo’ over the quality of our waterways. No-one has ever voted to put sewage in our rivers but putting that bit of political nonsense aside there is a serious point. Our water quality isn’t good enough.

“We use Victorian infrastructure in our sewers and we allow pesticides and animal waste from agricultural rainwater run-off into rivers.

“Over summer, I will be working with residents and businesses to submit a case to DEFRA to designate the River Nidd at the Lido in Knaresborough as an area of bathing water quality. This will mean the Environment Agency has to monitor the water quality and plan to improve it.”

Read more:

• Campaign launched to achieve bathing water status on River Nidd
• Andrew Jones MP ‘confident’ of achieving bathing water status for River Nidd

Mr Jones, who secured a debate on the matter in parliament this year, has previously said he is “confident” that there is a case for designating the area as bathing water status.

The Conservative MP also met with Rebecca Pow, environmental quality minister, to raise the issue this month.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough East on North Yorkshire County Council, said efforts had also been made by the town council and local community to clean up the Nidd.

She said:

“We read with interest Andrew Jones’ commitment to improve the water quality of the Nidd and we certainly welcome any efforts to support our campaign, but his recent voting record in parliament shows the reality is exactly the opposite to his words.

“I am also pleased to report that Knaresborough Town Council have allocated funds towards the community’s efforts to clean up the Nidd and make it safer for bathers and wildlife.”

The possibility of the River Nidd at Knaresborough achieving bathing water status has been debated in Parliament.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones secured the adjournment debate for the topic last night.

The Conservative told the house he wanted to achieve the status for the area at the Lido Leisure Park, which could become one of just a handful of rivers in the country to have it. He said:

“Of course the issue of water quality is not confined to one area, and while we have many designated bathing areas around our coast, there are very few inland areas and those few are overwhelmingly lakes, not rivers.

“Indeed, looking at the data from the Outdoor Swimming Society, 98% of areas with bathing water status are coastal.

“There is one river in our area of Yorkshire that has achieved that status, and it is the River Wharfe in Ilkley…

“The purpose of seeking this debate was to highlight that many more rivers must be awarded bathing water status right across our country and to promote our campaign for the River Nidd in Knaresborough.”

Mr Jones posted this picture with Frank Maguire, owner of the lido caravan park, on his website.

Mr Jones recently visited the 550-home lido, which is the focus of his campaign.

He told Parliament the recently-passed Environment Act would help progress measures to improve water quality by requiring combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to be monitored all the time. This would show how often and how much sewage was discharged into rivers including the Nidd.

In response, Trudy Harrison, parliamentary under-secretary for environment, food and rural affairs, said:

“Our aim is to announce which new sites will be eligible to be designated before the start of the next bathing season, which is officially May 15, 2023, so get your Speedos ready—other outfits are available.

“We look forward to receiving the application for the River Nidd in the very near future, and I will be delighted to work with my honourable friend, the member for Harrogate and Knaresborough.”

Read more:

• Campaign launched to achieve bathing water status on River Nidd
• Meeting called to hear concerns about state of River Nidd

Speaking to today’s meeting of North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee, Mr Jones said he had contacted numerous local organisations about the river.

He said the owners of the lido, as well as landowners along the river, the Nidd Catchment Angling group, and wild swimming groups had all been contacted to ask for their support.

However, Liberal Democrats questioned why Mr Jones had not spoken to the area constituency committee, when they had raised the issue at a previous meeting and had been working with local volunteers to make progress.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, who represents Knaresborough East, said:

“Can I ask why, months later, you have announced you are doing exactly the same? Rather than duplicating effort, will you pledge to put your support behind the work of the area committee, local town councillors and our community in Knaresborough?

“This report is going to take hours of volunteer work to gain the evidence required. This is a team effort, as you mentioned, but it’s a community effort and the area committee are at the forefront of that, along with our Knaresborough town councillors.”

Mr Jones said he recognised it was a team effort and would require the involvement of both local and national government, as well as community groups and businesses.

However, he said the area constituency committee had not contacted him about its plans, so he had been “getting on with it”.

He added:

“I hope that we can all work together on this matter because I don’t think it will be achieved individually. Many actions will need to come together.”

Organisations have agreed to work together to achieve designated bathing water status on the River Nidd at Knaresborough.

Longstanding concerns about water quality were heightened in summer when people and dogs fell ill after entering the Nidd.

If the bathing water bid is successful, the Environment Agency would be obliged to put plans in place to monitor and protect the water.

Not a single waterway in North Yorkshire currently has bathing water status but the River Wharfe in Ilkley has achieved it.

Knaresborough has been chosen because of the amount of  recreational river users it attracts, but if the campaign succeeds the rest of the Nidd would also benefit from the measures introduced.

Anglers, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, Nidderdale AONB, Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, Leeds University, councillors and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, are among those involved after a meeting this month.

They must demonstrate the river attracts a large number of bathers and has support for such a move. Landowners must also support applications for privately owned sites.

Shan Oakes

Shan Oakes, a Green Party councillor in Knaresborough chairing the group, said the government was not setting high enough water quality standards and action was necessary. Ms Oakes, who is also on Knaresborough Town Council, added:

“It’s not going to be a quick fix. We need to consult with a lot of groups.”

Read more:

• Meeting called to hear concerns about state of River Nidd
• UK’s largest weir removal project begins on River Nidd at Scotton

Last week Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East on North Yorkshire County Council, agreed to chair a cross-party sub-group of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee that will examine the issue. She said:

“We are well placed to achieve this but we need the support of the community and the town council.”

Knaresborough lido, which is particularly popular with recreational river users, will probably be the focus of the campaign. Cllr Gostlow said:

“The river plays a big part in the local economy but people are getting ill so we need to do something.”

She added she hoped the campaign might succeed by summer 2024.

Action by anglers