Have your say on bathing water designation at Cow Tower
About the project
The Cow Tower Dippers, a local community group, are preparing an application to the government for Designated Bathing Water Status for part of the River Wensum near Cow Tower.
This is a community-led initiative. Norwich City Council is hosting this consultation to gather public feedback on behalf of the group.
What is Designated Bathing Water Status?
Designated Bathing Water Status is a recognition by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that an area is regularly used by the public for swimming or paddling.
If the site is designated:
- The Environment Agency will test the water every week during the bathing season (15 May to 30 September).
- Tests check for bacteria such as E.coli and intestinal enterococci, which can show pollution from sewage or surface runoff.
- The site will be covered by the Bathing Water Regulations.
- Water quality results will be published online and displayed at the site.
- These results will include updates on pollution incidents, such as sewage discharges.
This helps people make safer and informed choices and builds a clearer picture of river health.
You can learn more about bathing waters on the GOV.UK website.
⚠️ Important to know
Designation does not mean the river is safe to swim in.
- It means the water will be monitored and reported on
- The site will not be lifeguarded or managed as a formal swimming area
- The proposed area for designation is within the Broad’s Authority’s administrative area. Read their guidance for the public on outdoor swimming here.
Have your say
Your feedback will help us understand how the River Wensum at Cow Tower is used and valued, and the level of community support there is with regards to an application for Designated Bathing Water Status. Your feedback will form part of the evidence base submitted by the Cow Tower Dippers to DEFRA in their application.
Complete our short survey below.
If you’d like a paper copy or want to give feedback another way, please email: gettalking@norwich.gov.uk
The consultation is open from Thursday 21 August and closes on Thursday 2 October 2025.
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339 responsesTake Survey
We’re collecting feedback on behalf of the Cow Tower Dippers, a local community group, who plan to apply to DEFRA for bathing water designation at Cow Tower on the River Wensum. If the application is successful, the site will have regular water quality checks and public updates during the bathing season (15 May to 30 September).
Your feedback will help demonstrate how the site is currently used and whether people support the designation. This will be included in the evidence sent to DEFRA from the Cow Tower Dippers.
🕒 The survey takes 2–3 minutes to complete.
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