Alex Wagner, Shropshire Council deputy leader elect, Dan Trewin Environment Agency, Julia Buckley MP and Matt Smith RSPAWIR
A project which will allow environmental experts to monitor river water quality at a designated bathing site in Shrewsbury on a daily basis has won funds from the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region.
The RSPAWIR has approved an application from the Environment Agency to install new sensors which will be fitted at the designated bathing spot in Shrewsbury to monitor bacteria including E.coli.
The trial will mean the Environment Agency can gather daily readings remotely, in addition to statutory manual readings that continue to be taken once a week during the bathing season.
The sensors also build in rainfall data and other scientific measurements to assist understanding of its effects on increased bacteria levels.
The Shrewsbury project replicates the work the partnership has already done at the Linney in Ludlow, where daily readings at the designated bathing sites have also provided useful insights alongside the statutory monitoring at the bathing site.
The results have helped to understand just how significant the effect of rainfall in the upstream catchment is on bacteria concentrations within the River Teme and provided a better insight into the baseline levels during winter months. The data has been used in the development of a new app for bathers allowing them to choose when to enter the water and when to avoid swimming.
Matt Smith, RSPAWIR programme manager, said: “Our findings from monitoring at the designated wild bathing area in Ludlow have helped create a ‘real-time’ data base which recognises the effects of rainfall on bacteria found in the river water.
“It has helped build a better picture of the levels and types of bacteria in the watercourse, their potential sources, how they are affected by the environment and how they affect the ecology.
“In addition, we have been able to work with Shrewsbury-based software developers Wolf Logic to create the Shropshire Wild Bathing app which will allow people to choose the safest times and designated places to participate.”
Alex Wagner, Shropshire Council deputy leader elect, said: “This is a very welcome project which has a multitude of environmental and social benefits. Shrewsbury is built on the Severn like many other Shropshire towns and villages, and we must make the most of our splendid natural environment and heritage.
“The development of the app is particularly advantageous to people who enjoy wild bathing and use the Severn for sports, as it allows them the opportunity to make more informed choices about river safety and when they want to enter the water.”
This proof-of-concept trial seeks to increase knowledge of the bacteriological levels in the rivers, through the daily collection of remotely triggered bacteriological data at the bathing sites.
As newly designated bathing sites (designated May 2024), there is currently little data available regarding bacteriological concentrations in the rivers. Therefore, it is difficult to inform recreational river users of the daily water quality.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “Taking sustained, daily, pre-programmed bacteriological river samples is a first in the UK. Used in combination with rainfall, river flow data and continuous water chemistry data, this project will provide a unique insight for recreational river users at bathing sites to better evaluate personal river use. It will also allow us to better understand and identify the sources of pollution and inform our ability to influence and improve the health of rivers.”
The bathing season traditionally begins on May 15 and runs until September 30 and means water quality is measured at designated sites between these dates.
The app, Wild Swimming Shropshire, is available now on Android and Apple app stores.
Notes: The RSPAWIR, managed by Shropshire Council, has been awarded £4m of funding from the Department of Science, Industry and Technology, to support the growth of wireless innovation and technology in some of its key economic sectors.
The Partnership comprises the eight English and Welsh councils that cover the River Severn catchment area including Shropshire Council, and is one of 10 UK Innovation Regions to gain funding.
The RSPAWIR will focus on accelerating the adoption of advanced wireless enabled technologies across three sectors which have particularly strong roots in the River Severn catchment area:-
Water management
Agri-tech
Public sector
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