Women's Institute to campaign for bathing rivers

The Women’s Institute has agreed to campaign to improve water quality in UK rivers, by making and supporting bids to get river stretches designated as bathing sites.

The Clean Rivers for People and Wildlife resolution passed with a 84% majority at the national annual meeting, after being brought by Christy Crouch of the Herefordshire branch.

The Herefordshire Federation said: “Water quality in our rivers is shameful. Legally designated bathing waters must be regularly monitored for pollution. The National Federation of Women’s Institutes urges its members, the wider public, local authorities, and Government to make, support and promote applications for officially designated bathing sites on appropriate stretches of rivers in their area. This will be instrumental to the clean-up of rivers as it has been for water quality improvement at coastal beaches.”