The Cow Tower Dippers, a group of dedicated wild swimmers in Norwich, are calling for part of the River Wensum, at Cow Tower, to be a designated bathing water site – a legal status that would trigger regular pollution testing and help keep the river safe for swimming. Thanks to the work of Green Party councillor, Gary Champion, Norwich City Council (NCC) have agreed to formally support the swimmers’ application to Defra. In addition swimmers and swimming groups – paddle boarders, canoe clubs, scout groups and schools – will now be recognised as stakeholders in the council’s River Wensum Strategy, an endeavour that will “Breathe new life into the river” from Anderson’s Meadow to Whitlingham Broad.
“We are absolutely delighted to have received unanimous support from Norwich City Council in our pursuit of Designated Bathing Status,” Kate Denton, a Cow Tower Dipper, told East Anglia Bylines. “This feels like a huge endorsement for the whole open water swimming community in the city. It’s also a win for our dear old friend, the Wensum, since our fight for a swimmable river is also a fight for a clean, unpolluted river.”
River pollution
The group have been swimming near Cow Tower, a medieval landmark on the edge of the city centre, since 2022. Champion, a user of the River Wensum, explained to East Anglia Bylines that testing the water at regular intervals is vital because phosphates, nitrates, sewage, sediment run-off, even E.coli have been detected in the river in the past. “As the water flows downstream, so do the pollutants, and this is why monitoring along the river is so important, so residents know where it is safe.”
More recently scientists have detected high concentrations of fipronil in the water. It is a toxic anti-flea chemical used on pet fur. “Fipronil most likely enters the river from dogs swimming,” said Champion. “So it’s important to test for this, as research suggests it may cause serious harm to birds, fish, aquatic and marine invertebrates, putting the river’s ecosystem at risk.”
Champion points out that only with a designated bathing water status will regular water quality testing occur. “But more importantly this will drive water companies to update infrastructure to reduce harmful discharges and ensure that emergency overflows are actually monitored.”
Defra’s bathing water rules
“The next step, once we have received a letter of support from NCC, is to put in our application to Defra,” said Denton. “If successful, Cow Tower will be the first river-based swimming spot to received designated bathing status in Norfolk, and one of only a handful in the country. We feel that this will be a huge asset for the city, and a victory for nature.”
During the bathing season – from 15 May to 30 September – the Environment Agency takes samples to test for intestinal enterococci and E.coli. Water quality is then graded from ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’. If the site fails to meet standards, investigations are launched into potential sources of pollution, which often include sewage overflows and urban or agricultural runoff.
Until 2024, applications for bathing water status could only be submitted by councils or other official bodies. But new Defra guidance has now made it easier for individuals and community groups to apply, provided they can demonstrate usage and obtain a letter of support from their local authority.
Regional victories inspire Norwich campaigners
The Cow Tower campaign joins a growing wave of successful applications across East Anglia. Last year, three local wild swimming spots gained official bathing water status: the River Cam at Sheep’s Green in Cambridge, Manningtree beach in Essex and the River Stour at Sudbury in Suffolk. All three had experienced persistent problems with sewage pollution.
In Cambridge, city officials warned of “significant health risks” to swimmers, while at Sudbury, water testing near the treatment works showed dangerously high levels of E.coli. Campaigners believe official status is a vital step toward cleaning up these rivers.
When they applied, Anna Helm Baxter of the Manningtree Mermaids – the group behind the Essex application – spoke to the BBC: “A huge amount of work went into our SWIM (Safe Water in Manningtree) campaign. Clean water should be standard in all UK waterways for people and the environment.”
Norfolk, however, has yet to see any river granted this protection.
Learning from the River Deben
Campaigners in Suffolk have already demonstrated the power of grassroots activism. In April 2023, East Anglia Bylines reported that a stretch of the River Deben at Waldringfield had received designated bathing water status after tireless work by the Save the Deben campaign and the Deben Bluetits wild swimming group.
Angela Soames, a co-founder of the group, welcomed the news at the time: “It means the river will have to be cleaned up, which will not only benefit us as wild swimmers but all river users – and more importantly the wildlife and river environment.”
Though a second application for the Woodbridge stretch of the river was unsuccessful, campaigners remain committed to securing the same protections there. Their efforts are echoed in the Norwich campaign, which also stresses that wild swimming is not just a recreational activity, but a powerful driver for cleaner, healthier rivers.
Time to protect our rivers
River pollution is now a national scandal, with widespread public anger over water companies dumping untreated sewage into waterways. The Cow Tower Dippers are part of a larger movement demanding change through community action and legal protection.
East Anglia Bylines has covered numerous local campaigns working to secure bathing water status, and it is increasingly clear that support from councils plays a crucial role. With Norwich City Council’s backing, the Cow Tower Dippers have the chance to align with communities across the region who are taking the lead in protecting the rivers they love.
While the River Wensum faces challenges along its length, the Cow Tower Dippers are focused on protecting one much-loved stretch in the heart of Norwich. If successful, their application for designated bathing water status at Cow Tower would cover only a small section of the Wensum’s 46 mile length – but it would set an important precedent for recognising river swimmers as key stakeholders in the health and future of our waterways.
Norwich City Council will hold a public consultation on their Get Talking Norwich platform.
As part of the campaign to raise awareness Cinema City Norwich will host ‘Rave on for the Avon’ on Thursday 17th July, 18.00 with a live panel including The Rivers Trust.
The Sainsbury Centre exhibition “A World of Water” continues until 3 August.
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