A river testing and flag scheme to inform people when it’s safe to bathe in the River Teme, has been officially opened

The River Teme is a popular location for bathing and playing, particularly during the hot summer weather. 

It also supports a wide variety of wildlife, including salmon, brown trout, otters, kingfishers, herons and dippers.

Woodland Tots is an outdoor playgroup, held in Offa's Dyke Park, which the River Teme flows through.

Group leader, Toni Pettitt, said; “We’ve been testing the river since 2022 to ensure the safety of the community, so this scheme lets everybody know when bacterial levels are high and it is not advisable to go in the river.”

Group leader, Toni Pettitt, said; “We’ve been testing the river since 2022 to ensure the safety of the community, so this scheme lets everybody know when bacterial levels are high and it is not advisable to go in the river.”

The scheme uses a red, amber and green flag system to tell residents when it would be safe to use the river for bathing, paddling and wild swimming. 

Bacteria testing, in particular, varies week by week, ranging from safe, to probably safe, possibly safe, possibly unsafe, probably unsafe, unsafe. 

Toni previously said: “When we have consulted with the local community, ranging from families with young children, older members who grew up in the area, and young people, all reported the same thing: They have fond memories of paddling, swimming, bathing in the river Teme surrounding Knighton, but do not think it is safe to do so anymore and therefore do not spend their recreation time doing this anymore. 

“Hence we wanted to bring a simple system that displays the recent water test results to the Knighton community during the warmer months so that the community may start to enjoy the river again, feeling more secure in the knowledge of when it is safe to do so, and what times to avoid it. 

“We believe such a system will draw people back down to an area which we should be proud to have within our town, and to celebrate the river Teme in all its glory and all it has to offer.”

The scheme supported by the Severn Rivers Trust has been funded by the Co-op Community Fund, with a “Brilliant Basics” grant from Powys County Council

with 30% match funding from Knighton Town Council.  

This covered training, an information board and testing equipment for phosphate and

nitrate levels, but not the bacterial (ecoli) testing equipment, which was paid for by Knighton Town Council.

 Knighton Mayor Councillor Tom Taylor supported the idea ‘because pretty much everyone in Knighton has played or paddled in the river’.

He said: “The last time I swam in it, the condition was quite poor and I think it’s an excellent idea to have a flag system to let people know when the river is safe to swim or paddle in.”