A recent government report has classified Port Meadow’s water quality as “poor” for the second year in a row. Port Meadow’s designation as a river bathing site was approved in April 2022 on the condition that its water quality improve to a standard considered “fit to swim in” within five years. However, the infamous pollution plaguing the area has put it at serious risk of losing its bathing site status.
Contributing to the poor pollution rating are sewage plants such as Cassington and Witney Sewage Treatment Works, located upstream of Port Meadow, which discharge raw sewage into the river. Thames Water, the UK’s largest water and wastewater company (whose area of responsibility includes Port Meadow), has recently come under fire for pumping at least 72 billion litres of sewage into the River Thames since 2020.
If Port Meadow does lose its status as a designated river bathing site, it would significantly affect local recreational clubs, university sports, and all those who regularly utilise Port Meadow for aquatic activities. The exposure to dangerous bacteria such as E coli and intestinal enterococci, indicated by the “poor” rating to be worse than recommended levels, is already a significant deterrent to student athletes. In fact, in 2022, the levels of intestinal enterococci in Port Meadow were more than twice the healthy limit.
After the figures were released, Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, spoke on the issue in Parliament. Having previously been “delighted” and “so proud to support the community campaign [that successfully ensured Port Meadow’s] bathing water status,” she strongly believes this is “unacceptable” for the people of Oxfordshire. Moran believes the meeting with the Minister is a promising first step but that it “cannot stop there.” She remains firm that the government must “clamp down” on companies like Thames Water and recognise that the public has lost faith in such companies to protect their water.
The statistics report also showed a significant increase in the overall number of bathing areas across the UK classified as poor, from 12 in 2022 to 18 in 2023. Moran identified this as a general trend of carelessness that affects not just Oxfordshire, but the entire UK: “It is insulting to see Ministers pat themselves on the back after a shocking rise in swimming spots rated as poor water quality… This national scandal needs to end now.”
Environment Minister Robbie Moore has agreed to a meeting regarding the protection of Oxford’s Port Meadow, but pointed out that 95.7% of bathing water classifications were rated as “good or excellent,” compared to 76% in 2010. He stated this showed the government “took water quality seriously” but promised to “endeavour to go even further.”
