The River Thames has been contaminated with high levels of E.coli following a sewage spill at Fulham Reach, a popular spot for rowers and kayakers.
Levels of E.coli in the river have reached 64 times the threshold for safe swimming, with a recorded 58,000 colony-forming units per 100ml of water. This is classified as 'poor' according to inland bathing water standards, which consider anything above 900 to be unacceptable.
The spill occurred on Thursday, one of the hottest June days on record, when temperatures reached 36°C. This was in breach of rules that companies are only allowed to release sewage when it is raining heavily.
Despite the £4.6 billion Tideway Tunnel being built to cut sewage pollution, the spill highlights the ongoing issue of sewage contamination in the River Thames. Thames Water said the spill was caused by an exceptional and highly localised storm that occurred during planned maintenance as part of the Tideway Tunnel testing.
Thames Water added that the Tideway Tunnel system played a key role in protecting the river by capturing and transferring significant volumes of wastewater for treatment. However, the company is reviewing the circumstances of the latest spill.
E. coli is a type of bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals. While many strains are harmless, some can cause illness if people come into contact with contaminated water or food. Common symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever, with illness usually lasting several days.
