E.coli levels reach dangerous levels in River Thames after sewage spill in heatwave

The E. coli levels in the River Thames have measured at more than 60 times the threshold for safe swimming as people look to cool off in the heat.

Fulham Reach Boat Club recorded 58,000 colony-forming units (cfu) in 100ml of water, which is believed to have been caused by a spill at Fulham Reach.

Levels are graded as ‘poor’ once inland water reaches above 900 cfu per 100ml.

Thames Water said: ‘We can confirm that an isolated spill occurred at Fulham Reach during planned maintenance works, as part of the Tideway Tunnel testing and commissioning program.’

This is despite the fact the £4.6 billion Tideway Tunnel was built in part to cut sewage pollution.

Campaign group River Action said the spills happened during dry weather on Thursday, which was the hottest June day on record when temperatures reched highs of 36C.

This breached the rule of companies only being allowed to release sewage during heavy rainfall.

Although the stretch of the Thames at Fulham Reach is not designated for bathers, rowers and kayakers are often seen in the water.

Thames Water said: ‘The work required the temporary isolation of key assets to ensure their long-term reliability and performance.

‘The maintenance was scheduled during a period of dry weather to minimise operational risk. However, an exceptional and highly localised storm occurred unexpectedly during this time, which resulted in the spill.

‘While this incident coincided with essential maintenance activity, the Tideway Tunnel system played a key role in protecting the river by capturing and transferring significant volumes of wastewater for treatment.

‘We are undertaking a detailed review of the circumstances, and any lessons learned will be applied to strengthen future maintenance planning and operational resilience, supporting the continued protection of the River Thames.’

What is E.coli and how do you catch it?

All the cases recorded in the outbreak involve Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 (Stec) – which can cause severe diarrhoea as well as stomach cramps and fever.

Symptoms can last up to two weeks and in some patients, mainly children, it can cause haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) – a serious life-threatening condition resulting in kidney failure.

It is often transmitted by eating contaminated food but can also be spread by close contact with an infected person, as well as direct contact with an infected animal or its environment.

A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition.

What are the most common E. coli symptoms?

While different strains of E. coli can cause infections, the most common symptoms of each are:

• Diarrhoea, ranging from mild and watery to severe and bloody
• Stomach cramps, or abdominal pain and tenderness
• Nausea and vomiting

Patients may also have a fever.

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