A section of the River Wye popular with wild-swimmers is to be granted official bathing water status in a Welsh government U-turn.
Campaigners said they were “delighted” by the move, which will lead to mandatory monitoring of water quality at The Warren near Hay-on-Wye.
Their application had initially been turned down, over concerns that “increased footfall” at the site might cause environmental damage.
But the Welsh government has now conceded that the stretch of river meets the criteria for bathing water status as it is used by large numbers of swimmers.
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Climate Change Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies urged the public to "help ensure that the Site of Special Scientific Interest’s (SSSI) habitats and features remain healthy and managed appropriately for future generations.
Writer and journalist Oliver Bullough, part of the Friends of the River Wye campaign group, had spearheaded efforts to secure the designation from Welsh government.
"Governments on both sides of the border have failed to do their duty in protecting the river and by applying for bathing status we can oblige them to test the water quality and take steps to improve it if it’s inadequate.
Volunteers from the Friends of the River Wye had regularly visited The Warren over the summer of 2022 to record how many people were using the river.Their findings included a day in July where there were 150 people on the beach, 32 swimming, eight canoeing and six paddling.But their application for bathing water status was initially rejected, with the Welsh government citing opposition from NRW, Hay Town Council and the Hay Warren Trust over the potential impact of increased visitors on the local environment and wildlife.Campaigners said this presented them with a “absurd, catch 22” situation, having to prove the river was being used to be granted extra protections, while being told that using the river could lead to further damage.
"In considering any application for consent NRW would need to assess the potential impact to ensure it does not harm the important habitats and species that the area is designated to protect.
“We understand why the decision to designate The Warren as a bathing water was taken, but we remain concerned that it may increase public use of the site and damage the sensitive features and species.
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