Wrongly connected waste pipes from homes have contaminated a River Wharfe swimming spot making it unsafe, an investigation has found.
The River Wharfe, at Ilkley, was the first stretch of freshwater to receive the status from Defra indicating it was safe for bathing. But the following year, Defra inspectors found the water contained unsafe levels of faecal bacteria and advised against bathing in it.
Yorkshire Water has since launched an investigation into the sources of pollution, partly thought to be from animal faeces in the run-off from fields next to the river and its tributaries.
The investigation has now found misconnected pipes discharging wastewater from homes into Spicey Gill, in Ilkley, and Town Beck, in Addingham, upstream. These pipes transport wastewater from toilets, sinks, showers, baths, washing machines and dishwashers and should be connected to pipes leading to water treatment plants.
No evidence of faecal bacteria coming from homes has yet been found, Yorkshire Water said. So far the investigation has traced the pollution to defective gullies and misconnected pipes from sinks.
According to Yorkshire Water, such misconnections can occur when a new appliance is installed, a new house has been built or when work is being carried out to renovate or extend a house. While these misconnections tend to take place on private properties local authorities can force owners to reconnect them properly.
Stephen Burrell, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “We know from modelling of the Wharfe we have conducted over the last 12 months that misconnections are having a negative impact on water quality.
“Our teams are already finding misconnections into the watercourses that feed the River Wharfe in Ilkley. The property owners will now be informed and we will also contact Bradford Council to ensure the issue is corrected to reduce its impact on water quality in the River Wharfe.
“We will continue to investigate the network locally, taking ammonia samples and carrying out dye testing to identify further misconnections, as we continue to play our part to improve water quality in the river.”
People who believe they have a misconnection on their property should contact a Water Safe registered plumber to investigate and carry out necessary repairs.
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