Visitors urged to avoid swimming in Lake District spots over water quality
Bacteria was found in the water, resulting in poor water quality in the area
Visitors are advised not to swim at two Lake District beauty spots because of the Poor quality of the water due to levels of bacteria found in samples.
The water samples were taken by the Environment Agency at Derwentwater, at Crow Park in Keswick, and Coniston Water Boating Centre – until July 23 the sea water at Haverigg also had do not swim advice and is currently rated as Sufficient.
The latest sample was taken from Derwentwater, which was first designated as bathing water in 2024, on July 11 and, according to the Environment Agency website, there were 360 colonies of Escherichia coli per 100ml of water and 140 colonies of Intestinal Enterococci per 100ml of water.
However, the sample, which was taken on July 9, showed there were 1200 colonies of Escherichia coli per 100ml of water and 140 colonies of Intestinal Enterococci per 100ml of water – it was also rated as Poor last year.
In addition, tests on samples taken on July 22 from Coniston Water showed there were 410 colonies of Escherichia coli per 100ml of water and 240 colonies of Intestinal Enterococci per 100ml of water and on July 16 the figures were 310 and 290 respectively.
Louise Dunn, the mayor of Keswick and member of the town council, said Derwentwater was being closely monitored for bacteria and algal blooms.
She said that possible sources of the bacteria are waste from humans, animals or birds, sewage systems, septic tanks, wildlife and agricultural contamination, but the relative contribution of each of these sources was currently not clear.
Cllr Dunn added: “Unfortunately, the first year’s monitoring results have given a classification for Derwentwater at Crow Park of Poor – with advice against swimming.
“But It’s not all bad news – we are seeing a pattern of peaks of bacteria after periods of high rainfall. The rest of the time the levels have been fairly low.
“The investment the Environment Agency is making in water quality monitoring will help the various agencies and landowners identify and investigate sources of pollution and address them.
“So, in the mid to longer term the lake quality should improve and this will be really good for tourism. Until now we have been swimming in the dark, so to speak. Swimmers can check the latest water quality readings on the Swimfo web site.
“Visitors to Derwentwater can help reduce pollution in the lake too – by picking up after their dogs, not feeding the geese and ducks, disposing of campervan waste correctly, and not leaving human poo on the lakeshore (yes, really that happens).”
A Cumberland Council spokesman said: “Haverigg is a designated bathing water currently rated Sufficient by the Environment Agency (EA), based on four years of summer sampling. This means it meets the minimum standard for bathing. A single high result in 2025 will factor into the 2025 classification but won’t determine it alone.
“Haverigg is also covered by Short Term Pollution (STP) procedures. The EA issues daily forecasts based on weather and environmental conditions, which can cause short-term spikes in bacteria levels from sources like agricultural runoff and urban drainage.
“When pollution risk is high, a ‘Do Not Swim’ sign is displayed. Water quality usually returns to normal within a day. In 2024, 30 STP warnings were issued. STP procedures are precautionary and do not reflect long-term pollution.
“Full sampling data and pollution sources are available on the Bathing Water Profile at data.gov.uk.
“Haverigg remains a popular coastal spot, and we continue to work with the EA and partners to improve water quality and support visitor confidence.”
An EA spokesman said: “We are dedicated to ensuring that bathing water quality at Crow Park, Derwentwater, is improved.
“Crow Park is one of our newly designated bathing water sites. Several factors could be impacting its water quality, and we are conducting investigations to understand what they are.
“We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation as we work towards resolving these issues.”