E-coli found in Wensleydale river

Stop Ure Pollution has issued a red alert for dangerous levels of E.coli and endotoxins in the River Ure in mid Wensleydale

During July its chairman, Prof Richard Loukota has carried out weekly tests four times at Ulshaw Bridge, twice at Aysgarth Falls and once at Worton using the nationally-recognised hand-held testing kit called Bactiquick on which there is a red light and a numerical value if there are high levels of endotoxins. Every time it has done just that. The tests at Aysgarth Falls, which is a very popular tourist attraction, were carried out on July 20 and 27.

Bactiquick detects a wide range of bacterial endotoxins including E.coli, Salmonella, Legionella and Vibrio and gives results in 15 minutes. Prof Loukota has then sent water samples to a registered lab and to Save Our Swale in Richmond for further E.coli testing.  The endotoxin and E.coli levels were shown to be a high risk for humans and dogs to bathe in the River Ure safely. 

He reported that the results of 10 consecutive E.coli cultures give 90th Centile reading of 2169 E.coli Colony Forming Units (CFU). As a guide: Excellent = 95th centile <500 CFU, Good =95th centile of <1000, Sufficient = 90th centile <900, Poor = numbers worse than these i.e. higher numbers of CFUs.

Bactiquick results are ‘high risk’ at levels above 58 ERU (endotoxin risk units),  and the results from the Ure have been 151, 166,151,149 and 146.

In the last week Stop Ure Pollution has been informed that two people have fallen ill with E.coli after bathing in the River Ure in mid Wensleydale, with one being taken to hospital.

Prof Loukota said: ‘This situation is very concerning and all water users should be aware of the risks, take the appropriate hand hygiene steps and should avoid ingesting river water particularly after rainy weather, when Combined Sewage Outlets are most likely to discharge  and animal faecal matter is more likely to be washed into the river.’

Stop Ure Pollution (SUP) will hold its first annual general meeting on Tuesday September 23 at 7pm in Leyburn Methodist Church Hall. It was founded in June 2024 with the aim to protect the River Ure and its tributaries for recreation and wildlife. At the AGM Charlotte Simons of the Yorkshire Dales River Trust will present the final report on the results of the river-length water testing carried out by SUP volunteer citizen scientists last summer.