Citizen Science Results

Our UK-wide Citizen Science water quality programme works with communities to reveal the state of their local water quality. For many, this is the only testing that occurs at their favourite swim, surf or paddle spots.

The Surfers Against Sewage Citizen Science programme has been running since May 2023. We’ve supported 40 communities to monitor the water quality of our rivers, lakes and seas that we use recreationally.

Each colour dot on the map show the locations where water quality samples have been collected and analysed to an accredited standard, thanks to citizen scientists.

At all locations, water samples are collected and tested for two types of bacteria: E.coli and intestinal enterococci, along with total coliforms. Because these bacteria thrive in the human gut, they’re often found in untreated sewage and used to flag pollution in the water. The same bacteria are monitored by the regulator – but only if a waterway is designated as a bathing water, and only during the bathing season.

Here’s how to make sense of the data, and what the bacterial results mean for these well-loved waterways.

Kirsty Davies (she / her) & Lizzie Cresswell (she / her)

Protecting Wild Waters Team

Protecting Wild Waters is a campaign to increase the number of designated bathing sites in the UK at our well-loved rivers, lakes and beaches.

Bathing waters are the only stretches of waterway where there’s an obligation to regularly monitor for bacteria harmful to human health and to hold polluters to account.

We support communities who are applying for bathing water status at their local waterway. We also lead on the Citizen Science water quality programme. Citizen science is vital in evidencing the sewage scandal and its impact on the health of our waterways.

Communities are using citizen science data to bolster their local campaign for cleaner rivers, lakes and seas which drives change at national policy level.