As the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race approaches, alarming levels of sewage pollution and E. coli in Thames Water threaten the health of rowers and spectators alike.
Testing carried out along the four-mile route, which the University Rowing Teams will tackle on Sunday, has revealed E coli levels three times above the threshold for poor bathing water status. When a site is classified as “poor”, the Environment Agency advises against bathing due to the risk to human health.
The Environment Agency monitors E. coli levels in the River Thames to ensure public safety.
High levels of E. coli can indicate sewage or animal waste contamination, posing health risks to humans and animals.
Regular sampling occurs at 73 monitoring points along the river.
In 2020, 94% of samples met the required standards.
However, some areas still struggle with high E. coli levels, particularly during heavy rainfall events.
Efforts are being made to improve sewer infrastructure and reduce pollution.
The Impact of Sewage Pollution on Water Quality
Other river-based sporting events have also been affected; in May a Thames swimming race which has been held for more than 120 years was cancelled over sickness fears. Sir Steve Redgrave, the Olympic gold medallist, said rowers needed to be protected from polluted water. “It’s a real worry that in 2025, unsafe water quality in the Thames is still a concern.” Rowers, river users, and the public deserve better.”
The testing revealed that 29.5% of samples exceeded safe limits for entering the water, and were almost three times the threshold for bathing waters rated “poor”. It was also a particularly dry spell of weather. Raw sewage discharges from storm overflows are only supposed to take place during exceptional weather, like extreme rainfall or intense storms.
The River Thames, a major waterway in England, has struggled with sewage pollution for decades.
According to a study by the UK's Environment Agency, an estimated 39 million cubic meters of untreated sewage are released into the river annually.
This pollution can lead to algal blooms, harming aquatic life and impacting human health.
In recent years, severe weather events have exacerbated the issue, highlighting the need for improved infrastructure and treatment systems.
A Call for Reform
River Action believes the pollution from sewage treatment plants – which have no legal limits imposed on them for E coli – are a major but overlooked factor in the unsafe water quality. They called for Thames Water to be put into government hands and operated for public benefit. However, attempts to take the struggling water company into a special administration regime – which would put it temporarily into government hands – failed last month.
Precautions for Rowers
Rachel Dulai, sustainability lead at British Rowing said: “Our ‘guidance for rowing when water quality is poor’ covers the precautions rowers can take to remain healthy when doing the sport they love.” The Boat Race and the competing clubs have issued this guidance to their athletes.”
- theguardian.com | Campaigners find sewage pollution and E coli in Boat Race water
