Stuart Anderson MP has hailed a significant development in his campaign to improve water quality at key bathing sites in South Shropshire. On 21st February 2025, he attended a key event marking the launch of an innovative trial on the River Teme in Ludlow running between February and March 2025.
It is the latest stage in Stuart's long-term campaign to protect the countryside and natural environment in South Shropshire. In Parliament, Stuart had called on Ministers to improve water quality at the River Teme and other bathing sites in South Shropshire.
In December, Stuart wrote to the Water Minister after it emerged that bathing water at the River Teme had been rated 'poor' by the Environment Agency (EA). He also expressed his disappointment that the proportion sites rated as ‘good’ and ‘excellent' had fallen from 90% to just 85%.
A record number of England’s 450 designated sites were classified as having poor water quality. This included one new site upstream of Dinham Bridge at the River Teme in Ludlow - meaning that the water sampled there had not met the minimum standard.
In response to Stuart's question, the Minister confirmed that the Environment Agency had developed an Action Improvement Plan for Shropshire's bathing water sites - including actions needed to improve them.
Now, a pilot has been launched to trial novel monitoring approaches on the River Teme - with the aim of providing greater insight into bathing water quality as well as possible sources of pollution. Stuart has welcomed the pilot at Linney Riverside, which promises to improve water quality at the site.
As part of the groundbreaking project, bacterial levels will be monitored daily rather than weekly. This will equip members of the public with the latest information available on water quality at the bathing site.
It marks first use of regular daily computer-controlled bacteriological sampling in the country. Samples will be analysed alongside rainfall and river flow data, providing unique insights for recreational river users.
Data will be available to view through a website being designed by both the EA and Shropshire Council. If the trial is successful, the Environment Agency hopes to introduce the sensors permanently at more sites.
Investment for the sensors has been secured from the £3.75 million River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region. The project was welcomed by Stuart when it was launched by the previous government in November 2023.
The Partnership aims to embed advanced wireless connectivity technology across rural industries, water management, and public services as part of the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April 2023.
It has also provided funding for the installation of sensors in the River Clun to maintain consistent measuring of phosphate levels. This will help to monitor the effectiveness of mitigation measures being piloted by Shropshire Council.
Stuart has also responded to concerns raised by residents concerns about plans announced by Severn Trent to divert wastewater from Bishop’s Castle sewage treatment works at the River Kemp into the River Onny. In January, he published an update at www.stuartanderson.org.uk/news/river-onny-update.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"When it emerged in December that water quality at the River Teme bathing site in Ludlow had been deemed poor, I called on Ministers to make urgent improvements. In February, I was then invited by the Environment Agency to speak about the importance of this issue at the launch of an innovative pilot that uses wireless technology to improve data collection at the site. It is welcome that Ludlow is now the centre of this pioneering work, which has been enabled by the River Severn Partnership after a £3.75 million investment by the last government. This groundbreaking project will ensure bacterial levels are monitored daily, rather than weekly - equipping swimmers with real-time data on water quality and experts with information about the sources of pollution that can be tackled. I hope to see a marked improvement as a result of this exciting project, which Ministers have told me could be used to make improvements at other bathing water sites in the West Midlands."
