Wild swimming is becoming an increasingly popular pastime in the UK – especially in the summer when temperatures soar. With the recent news that 27 new wild swimming spots have been designated bathing waters in England, many more may be thinking of giving this hobby a try. But with Environment Agency reports revealing nearly 4 million hours of raw sewage were discharged into England’s rivers and coastal waters last year – nearly double the number of spills reported in 2022 – many may be wondering if it’s still safe to swim, even in these designated spots.
Raw sewage can contain a variety of germs that can seriously harm our health. Some examples are Escherichia coli (which most of us know better as E coli ), which can cause both gastrointestinal and urinary infections. Some of the serious symptoms it can cause include severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and pain during urination.
It can also cause ear infections . This type of bacteria is one of the most prevalent waterborne pathogens in English waterways, and has even been found in several wild swimming sites . Infections with Salmonella enterica , Shigella flexneri , Vibrio cholerae and Campylobacter jejuni – all of which can also be found in wastewater – can cause similar symptoms as E coli .
Weil’s disease (leptospirosis) is another bacterial infection that can be picked up from sewers, rivers, ponds and canals that are contaminated with rat urine . Most people who catch Weil’s disease will have n.