River Gipping tests find E. coli above safe bathing limit

The River Gipping Trust released its September water-test results on September 16.

The results again showed E. coli levels above the Government’s “safe to bathe” limit at several points along the river.

August’s tests found E. coli levels more than 40 times the limit in a section of the river at Needham Market.

The trust’s tests also found particularly high phosphate levels around Stowmarket.

Ian Petchey, 71, is Restoration Manager for the trust and has been a volunteer for over a decade.

“Swallowing E. coli or coming into contact with it can cause gastrointestinal illnesses, infections and severe medical complications.

Phosphates cause overgrowth of algae in the river which blocks sunlight for wildlife under the surface. (Image: Sarah Lucy Brown)

“High levels of phosphates trigger a cascade of ecological, chemical and physical side effects. It acts as a powerful fertiliser, stimulating rapid uncontrolled growth of aquatic plants. These can result in low oxygen levels affecting fish levels.”

Anglian Water says E. coli is found in all environments, including rivers, reservoirs and marine waters.

There are thousands of strains, and without identifying the species it is impossible to establish where they came from.

A spokesperson for Anglian Water said: “We understand the importance of supporting healthy rivers across our region. That’s why we’re undertaking a major, long-term programme to install continuous water-quality monitors on every watercourse with discharge points in the region.

"We remain committed to working with regulators, local groups and other partners to better understand river health and support long-term improvements."

The Environment Agency is investigating the cause of the elevated phosphate levels but has told the trust it cannot effectively intervene over E. coli unless bathing-water status is applied for and granted.

The trust plans to apply for bathing-water status for the River Gipping.

“There are a number of ‘tick box’ hurdles to overcome before a bathing-water status application can be submitted to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA),” Ian said.

The trust are aiming to apply for safe bathing status from DEFRA (Image: Ian Petchey)

“I am optimistic that we can achieve all of these, but possibly the hardest will be getting a photo of around 100 bathers in the river at one time on two separate days.”

Find out more and view latest test results: https://rivergippingtrust.org.uk