The new Safer Blue Spaces Wales project, led by Triathlon Cymru and Swim Wales in partnership with Dr. Jessica Kevill and Ms Kate Herridge at Bangor University, and Professor Leon Barron and Dr. Helena Rapp-Wright at Imperial College London, will run across the 2026 and 2027 summer seasons. It will monitor the quality of lakes, docks, reservoirs and coastal waters used for sport at 10 sites across Wales.
The work is funded by Admiral through the Welsh Sports Association Sustainability in Sport Fund.
At the heart of the project are new passive sampler devices which will be worn by swimmers to measure what chemicals and pathogens athletes are exposed to while swimming in water.
Dr Jessica Kevill Postdoctoral Research Officer at Bangor University said: ''This funding will enable us to understand which pathogens and chemicals swimmers in open waters are exposed to. The data will be used to predict risk and provide information on water quality, helping swimmers make informed decisions about when and where to enter the water and how best to protect their health.”
Why Now
Current water quality rules require testing for certain bacteria at bathing water sites between May and September, but do not cover viruses or chemical contaminants. The research will determine how many people may become sick after swimming and what things make people ill. With stories often in the news about people falling ill after swimming in open waters, this study will provide data where it is needed most.
The gap between standard testing and real-world risk was highlighted at the 2023 World Triathlon event in Sunderland, where 88 athletes reported gastrointestinal illness. Analysis by the UK Health Security Agency found norovirus, a pathogen not included in routine bathing water tests, in 60% of samples tested.
How It Works
Participants will wear small, low-drag sampling devices during training sessions and events. These capture exactly what athletes are exposed to while they swim in the water, rather than relying solely on measurements taken at the water's edge.
Laboratory analysis will test for viral pathogens including norovirus, as well as bacterial and chemical hazards. Results will be cross-referenced with anonymised health data collected through brief symptom check-ins completed by participants before and after sessions.
Bangor University will lead the microbiology and virology analysis. Imperial College London will handle chemical exposure assessment.
What Happens with the Results
The data will be used to further develop and validate quantitative chemical and microbial risk assessments that will be used to predict the risk to public health from contaminated water. Findings will also be shared with shared with regulatory bodies and water companies, with the aim of identifying pollution hotspots and informing decisions about event management and environmental improvements.
A water quality and health survey app, currently in development with £6,000 in separate funding awarded to Bangor University, will make summarised results available to athletes, coaches, and event organisers.
All data will be made available for use by other sports governing bodies in Wales and beyond.
Dr Rapp Wright, MRC Fellow at Imperial College London who is undertaking the chemical analysis said, “These new sampling devices will give us a more accurate picture of exposure in individual athletes. As one of the first studies of its kind, this will tell us a lot about chemical exposure during sporting events in water, including for pharmaceuticals, ‘forever chemicals’, pesticides and other substances.”
Fergus Feeney, CEO, Swim Wales said: "Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone who enjoys Wales's incredible open water environments is at the heart of what we do. This project represents a major step forward in understanding the real‑world conditions our swimmers face. By working with leading experts at Bangor University and Imperial College London, alongside our partners in Welsh Triathlon, we can gather the high‑quality data needed to better protect athletes, inform future standards, and support safer blue spaces across the country. We’re proud to be part of a collaboration that puts athlete health first and will help shape the future of open water sport in Wales."
