Clean water advocates have labeled the water quality along the section of the River Thames that will host the prestigious Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race as “poor,” primarily due to elevated E. coli levels linked to sewage contamination.
Recent tests conducted on the four-mile stretch, which the university rowing teams will navigate this Sunday, indicated that E. coli concentrations are three times higher than what is deemed acceptable for safe bathing conditions.
When a location is designated as “poor,” the Environment Agency advises against swimming due to potential health hazards.
The Boat Race, a cherished tradition dating back to 1829, experienced similar concerns last year when fears surrounding sewage contamination in the river arose. After Cambridge’s victory, the Oxford crew disclosed that some team members had suffered from illness leading up to the competition.
Other water-based sporting events have also faced complications; a swimming race on the Thames, celebrated for over 120 years, was canceled in May due to concerns over health risks.
Sir Steve Redgrave, the Olympic gold medalist, emphasized the need to safeguard rowers from contaminated waters, expressing concern that unsafe water quality in the Thames is still an issue as they approach 2025. “Rowers, river users, and the community deserve better,” he stated.
Testing, which took place every weekday from March 10 to April 7 along the race route between Putney and Mortlake, showed that 29.5% of…
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Publish date : 2025-04-09 07:38:00
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