Wild swimming is a great idea - as long as the water is clean

The idea of taking a dip in the lake or river was very much a niche activity practised by a small number of hard-core thrill seekers.

But today, it is very much a mainstream activity, so much so that the Government is now looking to make it easier for more people to take part in the activity.

It is inviting new applications for designated sites, with the ambition of opening up more sites to the public. Ministers are also looking at ending the fixed bathing seasons, which at the moment mean that water quality is only monitored by regulators during the months from May to September. More flexible dates will mean that monitoring can be better tailored to when people actually want to use the waters.

At its best, this could be an exciting opportunity to open up our wonderful waterways to a wider public. For a region about as far from the coast as it is possible to get, our rivers and lakes are a wonderful resource. Making it easier for people to enjoy them could not only bring great pleasure to many people, it could also bring in thousands of visitors, and boosting the tourism economy. 

But only if they are kept clean and well maintained. In recent years, our rivers have been in the news for all the wrong reasons, being used as a dumping ground by water companies to empty its filthy, overflowing sewers. If our waters are to fulfill their potential as a leisure asset, the Government and regulators are going to have to get their act together to ensure they are clean and safe.

There are few things more enjoyable than taking a dip in sparkling warm waters on a sunny day. But nobody wants to bathe in raw sewage.