A New Bathing Water Site for Salisbury!
Queen Elizabeth Gardens has been officially designated as a Bathing Water, following a successful application by the local community.
The decision means the site will now be formally monitored for water quality by the Environment Agency during the bathing season, providing clear public information and stronger protection for swimmers, paddlers and other water users.
The designation marks an important milestone after months of community-led work to demonstrate how widely the water is used and why formal protection is needed.
Queen Elizabeth Gardens is one of 13 new bathing waters recently announced in England most of which were achieved by community led action.
Bathing Water Status brings:
• Regular, independent water quality testing
• Published results that inform the public about when it is safe to swim
• A legal framework for identifying and addressing sources of pollution
The successful application was led by Extinction Rebellion Salisbury and For the Love of Water (FLOW) CIC, supported by Salisbury District Council, along with local community groups and residents.
Maddie Crabb, from For the Love of Water (FLOW) CIC, said:
“Achieving bathing water status at Queen Elizabeth Gardens is a huge milestone for the river and the community. This designation will ensure regular monitoring for faecal contamination, giving people clear, transparent information about water quality for the first time. It also creates real momentum to identify and tackle pollution sources, which will benefit not just those enjoying the river, but the entire chalk stream ecosystem that depends on clean, healthy water.”
As a designated Bathing Water:
• The Environment Agency will take water samples throughout the bathing season (normally 15 May to 30 September)
• Results will be published for the public to view
• If water quality is found to be poor, the relevant authorities must investigate the causes and work towards improvement
Community representatives stress that designation is about transparency and long-term improvement, not a claim that the water is already perfect.
