Boost for battle to tackle poor water quality in Nidd as Harrogate MP briefs minister on problem

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones met Environmental Quality Minister, Rebecca Pow MP in the House of Commons to discuss water quality issues in the Nidd and his proposal to designate the Lido in Knaresborough as an area of Bathing Water Quality.

Mr Jones said he had already contacted local residents and businesses and secured the support of the owners of the Lido.

“Next May is the critical time as that is when the evidence must be collected to make a Bathing Water Quality application to DEFRA," said Mr Jones."In between now and then I am ensuring that we have the maximum support possible lined up behind the application.“I’ve spoken to residents and businesses, councillors, MPs in Commons debates and now directly to the minister."It feels like the campaign is gathering momentum and I am confident that we will be successful.”

Recent years have seen a series of health alerts on the Nidd, including a category 1 major pollution declared by the Environment Agency in June 2021 after a 12-mile stretch of the Nidd turned brown in colour.

In September, The Environment Agency - a non-departmental public body set up by the government in 1996 - published a report into the health of the UK’s rivers which included its assessment that each of the Nidd Middle and Lower’s 13 water bodies had failed chemical tests to determine whether the water was of good quality.

The agency said this was mainly because of waste water from water companies and agricultural pollution.

Harrogate Green Party activist and member of Knaresborough Town Council, Shan Oakes said the battle to win Bathing Water Status for parts of the Nidd began after the alarm was sounded by anglers and bathers.

"The idea was spawned in August at a meeting called by the Nidd Catchment Angling group in Darley who noticed pollution in the river.

"The Nidd, like many others in the UK, is not clean and we must work out how to clean it up.”

If granted Bathing Water Status, the Environment Agency would have a duty to test water in the Nidd regularly, including for E. Coli in the bathing season.

Following this week's meeting with Harrogate MP Andrew Jones, Environmental Quality Minister, Rebecca Pow said it had been good to learn more about the Harrogate MP’s campaign.

“Improving water is a priority for the government, and we are actively encouraging communities to apply for bathing water status," said Ms Pow.

“I wish Andrew’s campaign well. The government will be playing its part as the first government ever to tackle water quality improvements."

But opposition parties say water quality is a problem of the Government's own making.

In 2018, the Government published its 25-year Environment Plan, supported by a new Environment Bill for England which was designed to strengthen rules.

The bill was only approved in November 2021, after a lengthy battle over how much sewage could be released into rivers with peers arguing the bill was too lenient on water companies.

A Parliamentary Committee reported that only 14% of English rivers currently meet good ecological status thanks to pollution from agriculture, sewage, roads and single-use plastics.