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Ogmore River Bathing Water Designation Questionnaire 

1. Are you:
A local resident
Work in the area
Local business
On holiday/visiting the area
Other
2. Do you support the Bathing Water Designation application?
Yes
No
3. How much do you support having clean water to swim and play in the Ogmore River?
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither Agree or Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
5. Do you use the river or surrounding river banks to swim, canoe, paddleboard, row, fish or walk on the river bank?
Yes
No
6. How often do you use the river and river bank?
Daily
Once a week or more
Once a month or more
Several times a year
Never

Introduction 

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A Peace for Nature are applying for Bathing Water Designation on the River Ogmore for the stretch of water highlighted on the map below:



 

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How is the Ogmore River at Newbridge Fields used?

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The Ogmore River is a popular community space, used year-round by swimmers, paddle boarders, canoeists. Walkers, runners, and families also enjoy the riverbanks and surrounding fields. During warmer months, children and adults regularly bathe and play in the water, making it a vital outdoor space for health, wellbeing, and recreation.

 

Why is bathing water designation important?

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Bathing water designation would help ensure this much-loved stretch of river is monitored and protected. It would raise public awareness, increase transparency around pollution, and pressure authorities to take action. Designation gives our community a voice and helps protect everyone who enjoys and depends on the river.

 

What issues affect the water quality?

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The main threats to water quality in the Ogmore River are untreated sewage discharges from storm overflows, agricultural runoff, and urban pollution. These can cause harmful bacteria to enter the water, posing health risks to people and wildlife.

 

What changes are needed to improve water quality?

 

  • Regular water testing and public reporting during the bathing season.

  • Investment in sewer infrastructure to reduce pollution from storm overflows.

  • Better catchment management to tackle agricultural and urban runoff.

  • Stronger enforcement and accountability from regulators and polluters.

 

What is bathing water designation?

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Bathing Water Designation creates waterways where the water quality is regularly monitored for its effect on human health, and legal obligations are put on polluters (like Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water) to address the issue. Bathing Water Designation shines a light on polluters and ensures action is taken to improve water quality.

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Once a waterway is designated as a bathing water the Environment Agency (Natural Resources Wales) are obliged to test the water quality throughout the bathing season (15th May-30 September) and then categorise the bathing water annually at the end of the season as ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sufficient’ or ‘Poor’.

 

The local authority must display information at the site to inform the public on the water quality during the bathing season. This allows the public to make an informed decision on whether they use the water.

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Government agencies are obliged to investigate the sources of pollution and take measures to improve the water quality if the bathing site receives a Poor or Sufficient classification. 

The creation of over 600 coastal bathing waters around the UK has led to 98% of these beaches meeting minimum water quality standards, up from just 27% in the 1990s. Now, the same action must happen for rivers, lakes, lochs and other inland waters.

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