A new report calls on upgrades in wastewater infrastructure to protect those who enjoy recreational activities in our rivers, lakes and seas from coming into contact with human faecal matter.

The report – Testing the waters: priorities for mitigating health risks from wastewater pollution – published by the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC), examines the actions required to mitigate public health risks associated with the recreational use of public waters polluted with human faeces.

Ageing infrastructure, together with growing urbanisation and increased rainfall due to climate change, has only increased the pressure on our wastewater system.

Additionally, there has been a surge in recreational activities in coastal and inland open waters across the UK, such as ‘wild swimming’, leading to greater public exposure to pollutants.

Human faecal waste enters public waterways through two principal routes: raw sewage via storm overflows and the continuous discharge of treated effluent into...