Water in UK’s first official bathing river to be designated poor-quality

Yorkshire Water says it is committed to improving River Wharfe as swimming season approaches

Swimming season is approaching for the first river in the UK to be given bathing water status, but the quality of the water will initially be designated as poor.

A stretch of the River Wharfe in the West Yorkshire town of Ilkley was given the status after a campaign to clean up the river and reduce the scale of sewage discharges from storm overflows owned by Yorkshire Water.