If you're a swimmer in a river in the UK, you'll learn how to check sewage overflow warnings. Last year, raw discharge was sent into English rivers at a whopping 825 times a day. When the coast is clear of upstream sewerage works, locals flock to Teddington Lock, a quiet stretch of the River Thames in west London filled with rowers, sailors, paddleboarders and swimmers attached to shiny tow buoys. This is by no means an official swimming area, but 60 years after it was declared “biologically dead”, focused recovery efforts mean that the Thames is once again home to fish, invertebrates, waterfowl and marine mammals, as well as humans. Teddington Riverside has become a favorite place for Londoners to connect with their river.
But perhaps not for much longer. “London needs to get itself in order in terms of drought resilience, and we support that,” says Magnus Grimmond, a river swimmer and campaigner with Save Ham Lands & River, which is campaigning against Thames Water’s plans to extract large amounts of river water at Teddington. : “The water in the River Teddington is still standing. “But there are better alternatives.” The problem is that the water will be replaced with treated sewage, and protesters are concerned about the impact on the health of the river and everything in it. Since drought reduces the flow of rivers, the effluent will make up a noticeable percentage of the water – and that is exciting. Of concern in light of the difficulty of removing hormones, pharmaceuticals and PFAS, so-called “forever chemicals”.
“This scheme will save up to 75 million liters of water a day, but that is a small fraction of what Thames Water loses,” says Grimmond. Old, leaky pipes consume 630 million liters a day, but Thames Water is still decades away from getting drinking water. Dealing with their leaks. The plans will also destroy a local nature reserve, says Grimmond: “Get your house in order before you start destroying pastoral urban areas!” (Thames Water did not respond to requests for comment.)
Difficult balance
As climate change worsens, cities need to become more resilient to drought. Thames Water's plan, which will be completed next year, is one of the cheapest and quickest solutions. But is this the right approach? A spokesman for Britain's Environment Agency, which has already rejected more ambitious plans to extract water from the River Thames due to environmental impacts, said: “Any water recycling option considered by water companies must meet clear environmental requirements.” “We will examine the detailed proposals in the coming months.”
The situation in London portends some of the difficulties that lie ahead: water will become an increasingly precious resource, and we will need to find a balance between the needs of people, wildlife, and nature. Across Europe, focused efforts to improve the treatment of wastewater and pollution from industry mean that rivers are cleaner than in recent decades, and the result is an improved quality of life. But heatwaves, droughts and floods bring a new level of emergency to the need for water management across the continent.
About three-quarters of Europe's population lives in cities and urban areas – and access to a healthy river for cooling is increasingly important as heatwaves increase. Beyond leisure, European rivers are a key component of the EU's target of cutting transport emissions by 90 per cent by 2050, which includes plans to move goods from roads to waterways. But when drought causes water levels to drop, as happened in 2022 along the Rhine River in Germany, the result will not only be major economic disruption, but it will also hamper efforts to achieve climate goals. Global warming means this problem is likely to get worse: research by University College London found that a 1-3°C increase in temperatures would reduce water flow in 321 of the world's largest river basins.
Greater focus on water quality
Low amounts of water bring other problems. Take the 2022 Oder disaster in Poland, where low amounts combined with high temperatures and pollution created ideal conditions for toxin-producing algae to thrive, leading to the deaths of hundreds of tons of fish. “In recent years, our understanding of water pollution has deepened,” says Caroline Whaley, an expert on water industries and pollution at the European Environment Agency (EEA). “Ensuring sufficient and fair water for the environment, public supply, agriculture and industry is looking to become a major challenge as climate change impacts water resources,” Wali adds, noting how this will be addressed in the European Commission’s proposed revisions to the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. , which advocates reducing pollution, emissions and energy use.
During periods of drought, reduced water flow means that pollutants cannot be diluted, while in times of heavy rain and floods, more pollutants flow into the river. These streams of pollution threaten ecosystems and human access to potable water. “We could have a situation where there is enough water for nature, people and irrigation, but the water quality is insufficient,” says Nienke Hofstra, associate professor in the Water Systems and Global Change Group at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and co-author of the paper. A recent study on water quality. “For example, if the water in a river is too warm, it won't be able to cool a power plant. Or if the water contains a lot of heavy chemicals, cleaning it for drinking will require a lot of effort.”
Hofstra calls for more comprehensive models to monitor water quality: “There is a direct link between temperature, rainfall change and flow in the river. But for water quality, the relationship is often indirect. A better understanding of the sources, spatial patterns of water quality, its impact and future trends would enable us to properly assess the consequences of climate change: “We can say, for example, how many people are getting sick? [from] “Waterborne diseases due to climate change, or the number of people affected by salinity,” Hofstra says.
Restoring the natural shape of the river
Today, it is estimated that only 40 percent of Europe's rivers, lakes and groundwater are in good condition, leaving us well short of the EU Water Framework Directive's target of reaching 100 percent by 2027. “It's an ambitious law that looks at “It's about water in a comprehensive way… but it's not done and done well,” said WWF's chief water policy officer at WWF's European Policy Office. WWF heads Living Rivers Europe, a coalition of six European NGOs that It was created to enhance the application of the Water Framework Directive. “It looks at the chemical state of water. It looks at the state of the environment – what kind of species do you find? What does the river look like? Are the river banks artificial? It also looks at the quantity and quality of groundwater in aquifers.
Beyond agriculture, Baffert says the main pressures on European rivers are changes in their shape and flow from infrastructure – hydropower, flood defense, and navigation features such as dams and dykes. “There are more than a million river barriers in Europe, many of them small, and about 10 percent of them no longer serve any purpose but still pose major obstacles to things like fish passage and sediment transport. They seriously impair the natural functions of the river,” says Baffert. Living Rivers calls on Europe to restore rivers so they can play a natural role as buffers against floods or water scarcity: “When a river flows naturally… it is connected to its floodplain, [and] It can expand horizontally when there is a flood. You can avoid a lot of damage by simply allowing these floodplains to play their natural role as sponges.
Until now, we have relied heavily on engineering to combat floods, but climate change means that is no longer enough. This was evident in Greece in early September, where rivers were heavily regulated for agricultural purposes: “Greece still has a tremendous amount of resources.” [destructive] “The floods show that infrastructure is no longer a strong protection,” Baffert says. She points out how, after floods on the Elbe River in Germany caused significant damage in 2002, it worked with the government to move embankments and restore the natural riverbank. “This is expected to reduce flood stage by up to 30 centimeters over an area of several kilometers – that's a significant impact,” Baffert says, adding that by allowing the river to expand, water can be stored in the ground again and this becomes possible. Defense against dehydration.
The power of taking action
Back in the UK, a small tributary is causing problems in a north London neighbourhood, where increasing urbanization means water has nowhere to go during heavy rain. While 1,000 homes are at risk, this is nothing like the largest flood disasters across Europe. But for locals, Action for the Silk Stream represents an opportunity to take action where they live, and help solve the problem one riverbank at a time.
“This is a natural flood management program. We ask [locals] “To help by creating new wetlands, or doing simple things like clearing brambles,” says Liz Giecke, communications director at Thames21, the campaign group that co-runs Action for Silk Stream and many other river restoration efforts across London. The Silk Stream project is part of a £150 million flood resilience program from the UK Environment Agency, and local councils are doing their part by bringing in heavy machinery as the campaign works to restore the natural form of the Silk Stream. For Thames21, it's important to get local people involved in the action, says Jeckie: “Climate change can be overwhelming, but when you're there and see it with your own eyes, you can feel like you're doing your little part.” It is a tangible achievement.
In the face of life-threatening floods and devastating droughts, having a swimmable river may seem like a less important priority. But if you can swim in the river, it means it is clean. Today, 85% of official bathing sites in Europe have excellent water quality, thanks to decades of mandatory improvements in urban wastewater treatment and stricter controls on pesticides and fertilisers. This figure refers only to Europe's 22,000 official bathing sites; Many major rivers, including the Thames, are not intended for swimming. But many European cities, such as Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, Munich and Basel now officially have swimmable rivers. “Urban water where bathing is safe is an increasingly important asset for European cities. It provides opportunities for sport and recreation, with potential direct health benefits,” says Francesco Mundo, expert in freshwater data and information at the European Economic Area. High water supply in urban areas also brings broader social, economic and environmental benefits, [and improves] Quality of life.'
Unique perspective of the river
Now, years of work on stormwater management are coming to an end in Paris, leading to the lifting of a 100-year ban on swimming in the Seine before the 2024 Olympics. After holding events in three disciplines – marathon swimming, triathlon swimming – In the Seine, the main legacy of the Olympic Games will be that Parisians can once again swim safely in their own river.
Being able to swim in your city's river can be a powerful experience. Magnus Grimmond is excited that Parisians will soon be able to connect with the Seine, just as he does with the Thames. Seeing the Thames at eye level gives you a unique vantage point, says Grimmond: “Swimming in the river is like nothing else.” It's a magical experience, and you feel like you're in the countryside.' Grimond's swim group has more than 1,000 members, and the group has begun discussing moving upriver to avoid a sewage overflow if the day comes — nearly 27,000 people have signed the petition against the water company's plans, and the debate is heating up.
The Thames Water District will not be able to withstand a once-in-200-year drought – that's a fact. Activists are calling for plans to accelerate repairs to water pipes to stop leaks, and to build a new reservoir. But that won't be ready until 2040, and we'll see a lot of heat waves before then. Something needs to be done to prepare for this, but what? Swimmers in the Thames still take out their tow buoys on a daily basis – you can see them in central London as far as Putney (after which it is banned). It's a bittersweet irony to think that most Londoners still think the Thames is too dirty to swim in, because they may soon be right.
This article was published with the support of the European Parliament of the European Green Foundation.
