"The government has proposed the introduction of 13 new swimming sites around the UK, one of which is in Greater London. We know what you're thinking. Isn't the Thames a filthy, dangerous cesspool of discarded shopping trolleys, Lime bikes and sewage? In some ways, yes. But the officials have spoken, and according to them this new spot will be A-okay for practicing your breaststroke, front crawl and the like."
"The site's arrival would mark a 'vast transformation' in water quality in the river, which was declared biologically dead in the 1950s due to pollution. Water minister Emma Hardy said rivers and beaches were 'at the heart of so many communities, where people come together, families make memories and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely'."
Officials propose 13 outdoor swimming sites across the UK, including an open-air swim zone at Ham and Kingston in Greater London. The proposed Thames location sits at a former Victorian swimming spot and could become the capital's first designated bathing site in the river. Officials say the site will be safe for swimming, and designation as a 'Designated Bathing Water' would trigger regular water-quality testing during the bathing season (May 15 to September 30). A six-week public consultation is underway to assess the areas. The plan follows improvements in Thames water quality since it was declared biologically dead in the 1950s. Additional aquatic facilities, including an Olympic-sized lido in east London, open this summer.
Read at Time Out London
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