Work is continuing to ensure that three European designated bathing sites on Windermere meet stringent water quality standards this summer, writes Countryside Reporter Victoria Clark.

This week the Environment Agency started its annual programme of water sampling at more than 484 bathing spots, including the three inland sites on Windermere.

Tests will be carried out every week until September at Fellfoot, Lakeside YMCA and Millerground to ensure the levels of bacteria comply with rigorous standards set by the European Commission.

If just two samples taken over the summer months show a higher level of bacteria than allowed, the site will fail overall for the season.

Last year all three Windermere sites - which were the first inland sites to be designated by the EC - met the European requirements, although the year before Fellfoot and Lakeside YMC failed for the first time since routine testing started.

The adverse publicity following the failure of the two sites prompted the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Collins to hold an emergency summit to discuss how this could be prevented from happening again.

Gordon Dwane, environ-ment protection officer for the Environment Agency, told the Gazette since then a lot of work had been carried out to identify the cause of the failures.

He said the blip at Lakeside had been the result of a one-off pollution incident, which had been cleared up.

Mr Dwane said it had been harder to work out the exact cause of the failure at Fellfoot as there were a number of possibilities why the water had shown a higher level of bacteria on two occasions.

It could simply be due to run-off into the lake from agricultural fields following heavy rainfall.

People using the lake illegally, emptying their toilets rather than using designated pumping out points, could also have affected the bacteria levels in the water.

To ensure this is prevented, agency officers, along with lake wardens, are planning a campaign this summer educating boat users where they can pump out, followed up with a strict enforcement programme next year.

Sewerage systems in the area have also been reviewed, leading to one being replaced and another upgraded temporarily, before it is also eventually replaced.

Mr Dwane said he would

be surprised if either Millerground or Lakeside failed to meet the standards this summer, and he hoped Fellfoot would also pass, although work was still being carried out at this site, the results of which might not be seen until next year.

He added that Windermere was still an extremely

clean lake, and that the work would ensure the quality of water remained of a high standard.

lFor the first time this year, the Environment Agency will post the results of

water quality samples on its website (www.environmentagency.gov.uk) every fortnight.