A huge win for Chester’s waterways, and for everyone who refused to give up
Helen Tandy, Founder, Eco Communities
It’s official. The River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester is now a designated bathing water site.
Twelve months ago, a group of swimmers, paddleboarders, triathlon club members, surfers and community activists gathered at the water’s edge for a Paddle Out Protest. They were there to make a point — that people swim in this river, that they have a right to know whether it’s safe to do so, and that the polluters responsible for making it unsafe need to be held to account.
Today, that protest has turned into something real.
What’s Actually Been Achieved?
Of 16 regions across England that went forward to DEFRA consultation, 13 have been newly designated — and six of those are river locations. Our region alone has gained two new sites:
- River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester, Cheshire
- New Brighton Beach (East), Merseyside — right on our Merseyside doorstep
That’s huge. And it didn’t happen by accident.
This Is a Legal Obligation, Not a Trophy
Bathing water designation isn’t a pat on the back or a blue plaque on a wall. It’s a legal framework with teeth.
Under the Bathing Water Regulations, the Environment Agency is now required to monitor water quality at Sandy Lane throughout every bathing season — from 15th May to 30th September. They’ll be testing for bacteria harmful to human health, including E. coli and intestinal enterococci.
At the end of each season, the site receives a public classification: Excellent, Good, Sufficient, or Poor. That rating goes up on signs at the water. It goes online for anyone to see. It cannot be buried, obscured or quietly forgotten.
And if a site is rated ‘Poor’? People are advised not to swim — which means polluters can no longer hide the consequences of their actions from the public.
The burden now falls squarely on polluters and the environmental regulator to investigate and clean up. The community has done its job. Now the law must do its.
The People Who Made This Happen in Chester
We want to name names here — because too often the people who do the actual work go unmentioned.
Dianne Parrish from Clean Dee and the Chester Frosties was, without question, the driving force behind this campaign. Her energy, passion and sheer bloody-mindedness over several years — including through a failed application in 2023 that would have broken a lesser campaign — is the reason we’re writing this post today. Dianne: this is yours.
Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) were an incredible pillar of support throughout, including leading the Paddle Out Protest last year. Their national expertise and local presence helped amplify what the community was doing on the ground. Chester Triathlon Club brought their members, their voices and their love of the river.
The local SAS rep Helen Tandy, Founder of Eco Communities and the Eco Communities team were proud to play our part in this final push, supporting the paddle out, contributing to the bather count that formed part of the formal DEFRA submission, and helping get over the finish line together.
This was a coalition. And coalitions win.
The Fight Continues — Join Us Today
The campaigning doesn’t stop with designation. Today, Saturday 16th May, communities across the UK are taking to the water for the biggest ever SAS Paddle Out Protest — 56 locations nationwide, demanding an end to sewage pollution.
Right here in our Merseyside neighbourhood, Wallasey Beach Club hosted its own paddle out this morning on New Brighton Beach (East) — the very site that just won bathing water status, sits on this same stretch of coastline. What better way to mark that victory than showing up and making clear the monitoring, accountability and clean-up must now follow?
Everyone is welcome. You don’t need to get in the water, bring a placard, bring yourself, and if it fits in the car, bring the inflatable poo costume. 💩
Want to Do the Same for Your Waterway?
Across England today, swimmers, paddleboarders, surfers and river users are campaigning for the water where they live, just as we did last year.
If you want to fight for bathing water designation near you, visit:
It’s possible. Chester proves it.
One Last Question…
What do we do with the inflatable poo costume and the hook-a-duck from the plastic and poo stall?
We’re open to suggestions. Answers on a postcard — or, you know, just come for a (soon-to-be-monitored) swim.
🌊
Eco Communities is a Cheshire based environmental community organisation. We work alongside local groups, volunteers and campaigns to protect green and blue spaces for everyone.
