Recent testing conducted by Wetherby and Villages Clean River Group, in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage, Watershed, and York University has highlighted alarming pollution levels in the River Wharfe at Wetherby. Over a week of monitoring in August this year, 17 sites were analysed, with Wetherby often recording higher levels of harmful bacteria and pollutants compared to Ilkley.
Bacteria Levels Exceed Thresholds
Testing showed consistently high levels of E. Coli and coliform bacteria, indicators of faecal contamination:
- Day 1: Wetherby ranked 4th worst for E. Coli and 5th for coliform bacteria.
- Day 4: E. Coli levels were the 2nd highest, and coliforms ranked 1st, both exceeding Ilkley’s measurements.
- Day 7: Wetherby was 4th worst for E. Coli and 3rd for coliforms, remaining significantly polluted.
Chemical Pollution – Top 3 Contaminants in Wetherby
Additional testing identified 43 unique pollutants, with a worrying concentration of industrial and pharmaceutical residues. The top three pollutants were:
- Chrysene – Found in coal tar, bitumen, and asphalt, commonly used in road and roofing materials.
- Metformin – A widely prescribed medication for Type 2 diabetes, indicative of wastewater contamination.
- Fexofenadine – An antihistamine used to treat allergies, also linked to pharmaceutical discharge.
Comparison with Ilkley
Ilkley is a key comparison further up the Wharfe, their top pollutants included metformin, caffeine, and nicotine, while Wetherby’s profile includes a significant industrial contaminant, chrysene, suggesting differing pollution sources and risks.
The next steps
The results provide a positive lever in effecting change to improve the river Wharfe. Working with Yorkshire Water, The Environment agency, Local and National Government, we will be pressing for practical measures to ensure a reduction in human and pollutant waste.
Read today’s article in The Times
