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Heath pond fails bacteria test, but swimming goes on
HAMPSTEAD Heath’s ladies pond failed to meet the minimum national standard for bathing water quality this year, according to the latest government figures.
The pond was one of only two in England to fail to meet standards laid down by European law, according to a Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs report released on Thursday.
To meet the minimum standards, ponds must pass two tests, one for the level of faecal streptococci, linked to eye infections and stomach upsets, and the other for total coliforms, bacteria which can pose a risk of infection to those with lower immunity levels.
The ladies pond failed four consecutive tests for total coliforms in August.
Despite extensive investigation by staff, no obvious cause for the high levels of bacteria has yet been found.
Signs were put up strongly advising people not to swim, but the pond remained open
A spokeswoman for the City of London, which manages the Heath, said: “The advice we received was that the high coliform levels could pose a risk of infection to those with low immunity levels and those unused to swimming in the pond.
“But to those who regularly swim in the pond, the risk was believed to be much lower.
“Most of the regular swimmers continued to swim at the ladies pond.” |
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