Bathing Water Application for the River Dee

The River Dee is at the heart of our city – a source of pride, a haven for wildlife, and a place where people come together. Since being elected, I have worked with key stakeholders and river users to clean up our river. I established the Dee Summits – regular gatherings that bring together local environmentalists, residents, and stakeholders to stop sewage dumping, improve water quality, and protect the river’s unique biodiversity.

Through this work, and in partnership with local groups such as the Chester Frosties and Clean Dee, we are now submitting a new application to achieve bathing water status for part of the River Dee – a key step towards our wider goal of a cleaner, healthier river.

An application was previously submitted in 2023, but unfortunately did not meet the criteria due to an insufficient number of recorded bathers. That consultation attracted 1,351 responses, with 92.5% supporting the application – clear evidence of the strong local enthusiasm for protecting our river.

The new consultation is now open, and we want to hear from you. Your voice can help us secure this important designation. The consultation closes on 29 September at 23:45.

Please see below for information on how you can contribute to the consultation process.

About the consultation

The Clean Dee campaign and Samantha Dixon MBE, MP would like to hear your views on a proposal to submit an application for part of the River Dee in Chester to be designated as a bathing water.

The proposed area would be near the Sandy Lane Park. The OS Grid references for the corners of the proposed site are – NE Corner: SJ41959 65946NW Corner: SJ41879 65952SW Corner: SJ41870 65835SE Corner: SJ41944 65824 – View these on explore.osmaps.com

Concern about the pollution of our rivers and coastal waters has been growing over the last few years.  While there are several sources of pollution, attention has focused on the issue of untreated sewage being discharged into our waters, particularly during and following periods of heavy rainfall. The Council applied for Bathing Water Status in 2023 but was rejected for not meeting the threshold of 100 bathers on two days in the bathing water season.

Designated bathing water status refers to the designation of a beach or inland water as a bathing water so that information on water quality is provided to bathers and their health can be protected. If a site is designated, the Environment Agency will monitor bathing water quality during the bathing season, from 15 May to 30 September, and categorise it at the end of the season as ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sufficient’ or ‘Poor’. It will also investigate any sources of microbiological pollution and recommend measures to improve water quality.

Bathing water designation does not mean the water meets bathing water quality standards or that the water is safe for bathers, but it can be the first step to ensure action is taken to improve water quality by reducing contamination.

Improved water quality would, of course, benefit not only bathers but also a wide range of other leisure and sports users, including paddlers, paddleboarders, canoeists, rowers, leisure boat users and local businesses as well as the environment and wildlife. The purpose of designation is to protect existing bathers, not to increase the number, and evidence from other areas, albeit limited, suggests that it does not increase numbers unless it is used as part of a campaign to drive tourism.

Applying to designate a bathing water:

The bathing season runs from 15 May to 30 September. DEFRA will take into account the facilities at the proposed site, the number of bathers and the outcome of a local consultation. Although there are several sites where people bathe, it is only Sandy Lane, upstream from the river ferry, that potentially fits the published criteria, which can be accessed below:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/bathing-waters-apply-to-designate-or-de-designate/designate-a-bathing-water-guidance-on-how-to-apply

Your views:

We would like to hear the views of all stakeholders – local residents, community and sports groups, visitors and businesses on the proposed designation of bathing water in the River Dee.

There are a number of ways you can share your views :

• Complete the below survey
• Complete a paper questionnaire and send your response back to us at the address below.
• Email your views to: samantha.dixon.mp@parliament.uk (with the subject line – River Dee Consultation 2025)
• Send a letter to: Office of Samantha Dixon MBE, MP, The Bluecoat Building, Upper Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 4EE
• Request a copy of our consultation in alternative formats, including paper and easy read, using the contact details above.

  How your views will be used:

  Once all the required information, including consultation responses, have been collected, we will consider the results and then make a decision on the feasibility of an application.  This consultation will close at 23:45, 29th September 2025.