Crystal Charles
A community group in North Yorkshire is calling for the River Swale at Richmond Falls to be granted official bathing water status, in a bid to improve water quality at the popular swimming spot.
Volunteers from Save Our Swale confirmed they will submit an application to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) before the October 31, 2025 deadline. If successful, the designation would require the Environment Agency to test the water regularly for harmful bacteria during the bathing season.
The campaign began at a public meeting in 2023 and has since received unanimous backing from North Yorkshire councillors.
“This isn’t about creating a new site, it’s about recognising and protecting one that has been enjoyed for decades,” said group chair Deborah Meara. “People should be able to swim here in clean water in the 21st Century.”
Campaigners say the site, accessed by a pebble beach near Richmond Falls, is vulnerable to pollution from a storm overflow on Riverside Road. In 2024, the overflow spilled 62 times, discharging sewage for a total of 186.73 hours.
Yorkshire Water acknowledged the issue but said discharges had been reduced by 12% in 2024. A spokesperson described storm overflows as a “relief valve” during heavy rainfall, preventing sewage from backing up into homes and gardens.
“Storm overflow discharges are not what we or our customers want to see, and we’re working hard to reduce them,” the spokesperson added.
The company pointed to a £180m investment already underway to curb storm overflows, including projects at Reeth Road, Riverside Road, and The Batts in Richmond. Redundant parts of Richmond treatment works are also being repurposed to hold 183,000 litres of excess wastewater.
Over the next five years, Yorkshire Water has pledged to invest a further £1.5bn, including £378m in North Yorkshire, to cut storm discharges.
Save Our Swale urged residents to participate in Defra’s public consultation ahead of the application deadline.
