LONDON — Just days before elite rowers compete within the international Henley Regatta on Britain's River Thames, “alarmingly high” levels of harmful E. coli bacteria have been discovered, environmental campaigners warned.
Starting Tuesday, around 4,000 rowers from all around the world will compete in 400 races to qualify for the legendary regatta, which has been held on this waterway since 1839.
Water quality tests carried out by campaign group River Action before the race found levels of E.coli bacteria 27 times higher than the permissible limit for bathing water, raising health concerns given the rising variety of E.coli cases within the country.
E. coli is a various group of bacteria that, while often harmless, can produce toxins that could cause serious illness.
River Action tested water within the Henley Mile – a part of the regatta course outside the Oxfordshire city – 27 times between May 23 and June 25 and located a median of 1,213 colony forming units (CFU) of E.coli per 100 ml of water. In a press release on Thursday, the authority warned that the degrees were “alarmingly high”.
Anything above 900 CFU/100 ml falls in need of the Environment Agency's quality standards for inland bathing water and is taken into account a risk to public health, the campaign group said.
More than half (47%) of the measured values were above the permissible limit. The highest measured value was 25,000 CFU/100 ml, greater than 27 times higher.
River Action also found that E.coli levels were as much as 10 times higher in March tests.
James Wallace, CEO of River Action, accused the federal government and Thames Water, the water company liable for the region's water supply, of failing to adequately monitor water hygiene.
“This is a public health emergency. The new government must get a grip on the water pollution crisis and ensure that water companies, including Thames Water, urgently invest in upgrading treatment plants and fixing their leaky infrastructure before anyone becomes seriously ill or worse happens,” he said in a press release.
Thames Water didn’t immediately reply to CNBC's request for comment, although the BBC reported that the firm called the findings “alarming” and said it could monitor bacteria levels. CNBC also contacted the federal government's Environment Agency but didn’t immediately receive a response.
Chairman of the Henley Royal Regatta management committee and former Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave said the outcomes were a “stark reminder” of the impact of sewage pollution.
“Our waterways are vital to the racing of our competitors, but also to all the athletes who train daily across the country,” he said.
Regatta organisers have advised rowers to cover any cuts and blisters and avoid swallowing river water as hundreds of spectators flock to Henley on Thames for the event, which runs until Sunday.
This got here because the UK has seen an increase in E. coli cases. Two individuals with underlying health conditions died after being infected with the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strain (STEC). One of the deaths was “likely related” to her STEC infection, the UK Health Authority (UKHSA) said.
This particular strain is claimed to have been spread via lettuce leaves in ready-made sandwiches.
The UKHSA said on Thursday that 275 cases of the strain had been confirmed as of June 25 and urged people to be on guard against Symptoms that will include Diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.
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