RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
October 2, 2002
QUALITY CHECKS IN PIPELINE FOR INLAND SPORTS WATERS
Water sites used for sport and recreation could be facing similar water quality checks to those for bathing beaches, RoSPA's National Water Safety Conference in Plymouth was told.
The measure is likely to be introduced to safeguard the health of people taking part in activities such as sailing, windsurfing and canoeing when using rivers, lakes, reservoirs and canals.
Speaking at the conference sponsored by BSPF (The British Swimming Pool Federation), Peter Cornall, RoSPA Water Safety Manager, outlined possible change to the EU Bathing Directive.
He said later: "Poor water quality is a big issue - and not just on beaches. Many inland waters can easily become contaminated and people need to be told if the water they plan to use could be detrimental to their health. If the quality of the water was clearly displayed, users and operators would at least be able to make an informed decision before deciding whether or not to use the water for their recreational activities.
"Many water sports take place on upland lakes and reservoirs where water quality is generally good, but in urban areas there is more chance of waters becoming polluted."
He said a fixed water quality standard for inland waters had yet to be imposed, but the European Parliament was clearly in favour of one.
"The water standards on beaches are to be made more stringent and the issue of the quality of inland waters is not going to go away,” Peter Cornall said. “It is an important topic because it affects people's health.”
At the conference, the British Standards Institution launched the first British Standard for Water Safety Signs - BS 5499-11 - which RoSPA hopes will be used by water site operators throughout the country and will be more easily understood by the public.
"Questions about poor signage have been raised after some recent tragedies and the new standard will help to get safety messages across more clearly," Peter Cornall said.
The conference is the only event of its type for those concerned with water safety issues, whether at swimming pools, inland waters or beaches. It is now established as a regular feature on the water industry calendar.
