Parts of Yorkshire rivers Wharfe and Nidd in line to become official swimming spots

The list of 27 proposed official swimming spots includes the River Wharfe at Wetherby Riverside and the River Nidd at the Lido Leisure Park in Knaresborough.

The announcement comes three years after the site on the Wharfe at Cromwheel, Ilkley, became the first designated river bathing site in England. But data published by Defra in December showed the water quality at the popular swimming and paddling spot had been classified as “poor” for a third time.

A £15m new Yorkshire Water sewer is now in operation at Ilkley to reduce discharges.

Announcing what was described as the largest ever rollout of new bathing sites, water minister Robbie Moore said: "Many people enjoy spending time in our rivers, lakes and coastal beaches, and I am very aware of the value they bring in terms of social, health and wellbeing benefits.

"I want to continue to improve the quality of our bathing waters, which is why we are taking action across the board to drive up standards and hold water companies to account.

"I encourage all local communities and organisations with an interest to take part in this consultation and have their say."

Designation would mean the new sites getting regular water monitoring by the Environment Agency, which would investigate pollution sources and identify steps to be taken in response, officials said.

Defra said the sites put forward for consultation, which runs until March 10, were chosen based on how many people bathe there and whether it has suitable facilities such as toilets.

The department said the consultation would build on recent improvements to the water environment, which includes boosting the number of water company inspections by the Environment Agency, and requiring a £60 billion infrastructure programme over 25 years.

But a report out yesterday by The Rivers Trust found no stretches of river in England classed as in good or high condition overall, due to pollution from sources including agriculture, the water industry and road runoff. The conservation group said the findings were "dispiritingly similar" to its first study three years ago.

The Angling Trust’s chief policy adviser Martin Salter said: “People shouldn't be conned by all this talk of more bathing water sites because the sad reality is water quality in our rivers is getting worse and worse as the country’s creaking and leaking waste water infrastructure falls apart.

"Without massive investment, which should have happened a generation ago, the situation will get worse not better, irrespective of crowd-pleasing announcements, which are not more than a fig leaf for appalling environmental neglect.”

James Wallace, CEO of River Action UK, said all three designated rivers with bathing water status were graded poor, meaning it was still unsafe to swim due to high risk of pathogens like E.coli.

He said it would make much more sense to give bathing water status to longer stretches of rivers, and on many more sites “to spread the impact and apply more pressure on polluters”.

Yorkshire Water is spending £19m at their treatment works at Killinghall on the Nidd to build a reed bed to reduce phosphorus entering the river. More investment is to come at Ilkley later this year.

A YW spokesperson said: “We’re supportive of more bathing waters in our region and have met with several local groups in relation to bathing water applications in recent years.”