\n If their application is successful, it means the site would be subject to Environment Agency monitoring between May and September.\n<\/p>\n
\n The water quality would be given a status, ranging from \u2018excellent\u2019 to \u2018poor\u2019, which would be displayed on signage next to the stretch of river.\n<\/p>\n
\n The designated bathing area would be between two footbridges in Queen Elizabeth Gardens(Image: Newsquest)\n<\/p>\n
\n This, they argue, will bring action to tackle sources of pollution and greater accountability, and empower the public to make safe paddling choices.\n<\/p>\n
\n The application must be submitted to DEFRA, the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, by the end of September.\n<\/p>\n
\n The bathing water could be officially designated within two years.\n<\/p>\n
\n FLOW gained the support of the landowner<\/a>, Salisbury City Council<\/a>, in July.\n<\/p>\n \n A public consultation with a survey<\/a> is ongoing until October 10. An information evening was held at Quaker Meeting House on Tuesday (September 29).\n<\/p>\n \n The event consisted of a short presentation followed by a Q&A.\n<\/p>\n \n \n Maddie Crabb, director and senior environmental consultant at FLOW, led the presentation.\n<\/p>\n \n She said: \u201cThere is a big community of users of this river. I’m one of them. There has definitely been a rise in people using the river, especially since lockdown.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cRivers in the UK are failing to meet their statutory targets. In chemical status, all rivers in the UK fail. Only 14 per cent achieve \u2018good\u2019 ecological status.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cWe are quite lucky that the Avon is doing quite a bit better than a lot of rivers in the UK, but we would expect that \u2013 it’s a nationally and internationally protected river.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cIt should be in excellent condition.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cThere will be no changes to the physical site. The only change there will be is a sign saying it’s a designated bathing site with the rating.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cWe are not trying to make it an even more popular spot, and we’re trying to not have conflict with other users [such as anglers or canoeists].\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n The quality of the water at Queen Elizabeth Gardens has been tested weekly since June, funded by conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n Mike d’Apice, who is supporting the application, has carried out the sampling using the same methods deployed by the Environment Agency.\n<\/p>\n \n The results, which measure the amount of E. coli and intestinal enterococci in the water, suggest the site is in line for a \u2018poor\u2019 classification<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \n The harmful bacteria is unlikely to come from the nearest continuous sewage discharge in Amesbury because of the \u2018fast breakdown time\u2019.\n<\/p>\n \n Ms Crabb said: \u201cThis is most likely coming from misconnections in Salisbury city centre. That’s what makes the most sense.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cThere might be an issue in Salisbury city centre, and it would be good for that to be followed up on.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n FLOW is already involved in an official bathing area in Fordingbridge<\/a>, which was designated in May 2024 and rated \u2018poor\u2019 in November<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \n Founder Adam Ellis said the classification \u201copened up a lot of funding\u201d to combat pollution and provide real-time information for swimmers.\n<\/p>\nPaddlers at a designated inland bathing water at Fordingbridge Recreation Ground(Image: For Love of Water)\n<\/p>\n