Cambridge City Council has passed a Labour-led motion calling on Anglian Water and the Environment Agency to clean up the River Cam. 

As a result of the bathing water designation achieved at Sheep’s Green, Anglian Water has committed around £5m to improve its sewage treatment works and clean up the river. 

In July 2023, the Council passed a motion in support of Cam Valley Forum’s application for Bathing Water Designation for the River Cam at Sheep’s Green, and Sheep’s Green subsequently received Bathing Water designation. 

Green Party councillors did not support the original Council motion to back Cam Valley Forum’s application for Bathing Water Designation at Sheep’s Green. 

The designation was intended to give a better understanding of the water quality at Sheep’s Green, and the rating of ‘Poor’, announced this week, compels Anglian Water and the Environment Agency to investigate and address the causes of pollution. 

Proposing the motion, Cameron Holloway (Newnham), said: “We have now seen the results of the monitoring over the course of this year’s bathing water season, and they have been shocking. Almost every  E. coli test result was above 1000 colonies/100ml (which is the threshold for a poor rating), with many readings well above that. It’s pretty disgusting, to be honest, and it represents a serious risk to people’s health, as well as to the health of animals and plants in the river.” 

“This week, the water quality at Sheep’s Green has been assessed as ‘Poor’, so we now have an opportunity to get the river cleaned up.” 

“That is why we have brought this motion, to call on the Environment Agency and Anglian Water to clean up the River Cam. To do that, they’ll need to carry out an assessment and then make relevant improvements to their sewage facilities – most likely, the Haslingfield Water treatment Works, but also several others which feed into the River Cam.” 

“The good news is that Anglian Water has already allocated significant funding for this purpose in its 2025-2030 Business Plan – and this was conditional on our gaining Bathing Water Designation.” 

The motion was seconded by Katie Thornburrow, Executive Councillor for Planning and Transport (Petersfield), who said: 

“We as a City Council will work with other bodies to solve the structural problems where we can.” 

“Taking money from wealthy directors of water companies is only one part, but the real change requires us to recognise that clean water comes when we work together.” 

“I’d like to thank Cam Valley Forum, who submitted the application for bathing water designation and for all the work that they have done already. This official testing will allow the Council to use the information to put up an official notice, and that is what will make a real difference to our residents.” 

Monitoring data for Sheep’s Green is available here: https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/profile.html?site=ukh1201-09801