Lake District holidaymakers warned of harmful bacteria in pollution 'hotspots'

Concerning levels of pollution have been found in England’s largest and most famous lake, a citizen science project has found.

High levels of bacteria found in human faeces – Escherichia coli (E coli) and intestinal enterococci (IE) – indicating sewage pollution, were found to be highest in the summer months, when Windermere in the Lake District is used heavily by holidaymakers for swimmingand watersports. Following the results, which showed levels of harmful bacteria and phosphorus that fail water quality standards and identified "hotspots" for pollution, campaigners have called for "decisive action" to improve the lake for people and the environment.

Surveying saw 350 volunteers collecting more than 1,000 samples for the Big Windermere Survey during 10 sessions that took place over two and a half years at more than 100 locations - many of which had never previously been tested for water quality. Tests for phosphorus, a pollutant that causes algal blooms and damage to aquatic wildlife and comes from sources such as wastewater and fertiliser run-off from agriculture, revealed levels of the chemical that exceed expected standards.

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The Freshwater Biological Association, which co-ordinated the citizen science project with the University of Lancaster, warned that rare and threatened freshwater species in the lake such as Arctic char would face a "steady and devastating decline" without action to improve water quality. In the light of the findings, the charity's executive director Simon Johnson said: "The evidence is clear and must lead to decisive action to improve water quality".

He said Windermere was one of the world's most famous lakes, and if the issues could not be solved on this "totemic" lake, it did not bode well for the future of other equally important but less famous sites such as Conniston Water. He said: "Its scientific, ecological, cultural importance, whether you are an artist, a poet, wild swimmer, motorboat owner, it's just intertwined in the whole kind of social and ecological fabric of the Lake District.

"If we can't get this right on Windermere, where are we going to do it?"

He added: "When you see a place you love so much, that is so important, when the water quality of that place is below what I think society expects and demands, then that's really concerning. I hope that these results will spur people on into better and faster action to rejuvenate this incredible place."

Windermere, part of the Lake District National Park Unesco World Heritage Site, is home to more than 14,000 people, and its scenery, rare species and cultural heritage attract seven million visitors a year, generating £750 But it has been the focus of concerns over pollution, from sources including wastewater from United Utilities and private sewage treatment and rural and urban land use, with the Government pledging to "clean up Windermere" from the high levels of pollutants it faces. million for the local economy.

Matt Staniek, who founded the Save Windermere campaign, said the results were damning. “Finally we’re seeing science in the catchment that hasn’t been manipulated by vested interests or shaped by those taking money from the water company,” he said.

A United Utilities spokesperson said it is “ wholeheartedly committed to playing our part in continuing to improve the water quality in the lake. “Our teams are working at pace to complete multiple projects to treat wastewater to the highest standards possible as well as significantly reducing discharges from the six storm overflows that discharge into the Lake.

"This builds on our previous investment that has helped cut the amount of phosphorus entering the lake from our own operations by half. We are also working with all other organisations and individuals that impact water quality in the lake to help deliver the step change we all want to see.”