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16
May 2024
Harrogate dad says River Nidd should have ‘warning signs’ after family falls ill
A Harrogate man, whose family fell ill after swimming in the River Nidd, has called for warning signs to be installed.
Daniel Fuller and his three children, who live in Spofforth, went paddle boarding at Knaresborough Lido last Saturday (May 11).
The family visited the lido just two days before it was granted bathing water status on Monday, May 13.
The new status means the Environment Agency is now obliged to tackle pollution sources should the river fail water quality checks.
Mr Fuller told the Stray Ferret it was the “first time in about two years” he had visited that area of the Nidd, adding the family went to “enjoy the warm weather”.
He added:
The family came down with sickness and diarrhoea, Mr Fuller said.
He told the Stray Ferret there should be “warning signs” around the lido now that bathing water status has been designated, adding:
According to gov.uk, councils are legally obliged to display informative signs at designated bathing water sites. It says councils must, by law, include on the signs:
- The current classification symbol
- A general description of the bathing water
- Information about pollution incidents
- A website with more information about water quality, such as the Environment Agency's database
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The news comes after King James’s School urged pupils not to swim in the water earlier this week. The school said several children were sent home sick after swimming in the river.
‘Worryingly’ high levels of bacteria
The Stray Ferret contacted David Clayden, chair of Nidd Action Group, which has worked to achieve the bathing water status, about Mr Fuller’s concerns.
Mr Clayden said the action group “does not have health knowledge that would lead to a recommendation about whether to swim in the river or not”.
He added, however, recent spells of warm weather have been followed by a “spate of children being off school after falling ill from swimming in the River Nidd”.
Mr Clayden said:
The action group carried out two rounds of water quality surveys at the lido, and elsewhere along the river, last year.
It found “particularly worryingly high concentrations” of bacteria when there had been recent rainfall, he said, but added the bacteria levels were “much lower” following drier spells.
However, Mr Clayden did say the bacteria levels were still “way above acceptable levels for swimming” even after periods of dry weather.
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