You feel you've conquered the world': a Thames swimmer on the river's first bathing site in London

"Er, yes, that's the whole point. Cold water ignites the central nervous system and reboots the mind. Isn't it dirty? they ask. Yes, sometimes, particularly when it's rained. Then we don't get in the Thames, we get in a rage instead, taking contamination measurements and signing petitions challenging the behaviour of the water company that spews sewage into the river."

"The truth is there are plenty of days when the water acquires a yellow foam on the surface and you can no longer see your hands below the surface. Even the dogs don't get in. But there are lots of people who love the water and the rivers just as much as we do, even if they don't get in for a swim. People who have been frustrated by the way the private sector has treated something we feel belongs to us."

"That is why the decision to make our little spot the first designated bathing site on the Thames in London feels like a rare victory for the community over the corporate, for the people over the privatisers. Marlene Lawrence, who founded the Bluetits and campaigned for the bathing spot. My day is always better for having done a swim first thing in the morning,' she says."

"A few years ago our rivers were suffering, awash with sewage and farm run-off and dying biodiversity. Although a tiny handful of swimmers and fishers were trying to raise the alarm, it was far too easy to ignore. But in the last few years, with the help of doughty journalistic coverage and doughty campaigners who absolutely refused to let it go, there has been an explosion in awareness, and the government and the industry have begun taking steps to remedy these ills. Setting up these bathing sites is one of those steps."

Cold water stimulates the central nervous system and helps reset the mind. Thames water can be dirty, especially after rain, with yellow foam and poor visibility, and even dogs may avoid it. Some people still love the rivers and campaign against private companies that discharge sewage into the river. A designated bathing site on the Thames in London is framed as a community win over privatization. The rivers have previously suffered from sewage, farm run-off, and declining biodiversity, with limited early attention. Increased awareness from journalism and persistent campaigning has led government and industry to take steps, including regular, rigorous water-quality testing and public admission of poor conditions.

Read at www.theguardian.com