Wild swimmers in England could have something to celebrate, with a plan to improve the health of rivers.

One of the proposals is to massively increase safe inland bathing areas. Currently there is only one English river with designated bathing water status - the River Wharfe in Ilkley, Yorkshire, but water companies say they will work with government, agriculture and other sectors to secure safe inland bathing waters in every region of the country.

A new report - 21^st Century Rivers: Ten actions for change - sets out ten key actions which must be met if England's waterways are to be dramatically improved. These include building a national plan and creating a ‘Rivers Act’ to provide legal protections and close loopholes

According to industry representative Water UK, around a quarter of the challenges facing English rivers are caused by water companies, with agriculture playing the biggest part and highways and local authorities also having a role. The creation of a national plan to eliminate harm from combined stormwater and sewage overflows (CSOs), prioritising nature-based solutions over big infrastructure projects, and building campaigns to increase public awareness of the water environment, are among the other proposals.

The ten recommendations set out in the report are:

1) A national plan for rivers
2) Protection in law with a new ‘Rivers Act’
3) Local empowerment - build on catchment-based approach
4) Accountability – use data to identify sources of harm in rivers
5) River monitoring – make data available on ecology, chemistry, and public health
6) Support people – transform the public’s understanding of the water environment
7) Prioritise nature – embed habitat restoration and species renewal
8) Reduce abstractions – take less water for public supply
9) Storm overflows – eliminate harm caused by stormwater overflows into rivers
10) Bathing rivers – develop a new approach across England

Christine McGourty, chief executive of industry association Water UK, said, “Rivers have been in a state of crisis for much of the last hundred years, and though there’s been huge progress in the last few decades, there’s much more to do and an urgent need for everyone involved to address the challenges together.

“What’s needed is a clear, single, national plan, involving everyone - river users, customer groups, environmental charities, government, regulators as well as agriculture, highways, and all the sectors impacting river quality.

Mark Lloyd, The Rivers Trust chief executive said, “We really welcome this new level of ambition from the Water Industry to take responsibility for its share of the problems with our rivers, which is essential. However, the report is also right to emphasise that a collaborative approach from all sectors will be required if we are to succeed in securing a sustainable future, and that action needs to be underpinned by much better data.

"The 21^st Century Rivers vision aligns well with The Rivers Trust’s call in the State of Our Rivers Report for a radical rethink for rivers.”