A local elected member has highlighted a significant increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria levels in the River Sowe, calling on the council to intervene.
A crossing spanning the River Sowe on Rowley’s Green Lane. Worries have been voiced regarding elevated concentrations of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the waterway.
A fresh commitment has been made regarding contamination in Coventry’s waterways following concerns about a significant issue across the city.
The elected member reports that the River Sowe has experienced substantial growth in antibiotic-resistant bacteria concentrations detected in its waters, urging the local authority to take action and address the problem.
The representative from Coventry’s Reform UK grouping, which now ranks as the second biggest political force in the city and has established a Shadow Cabinet to scrutinise Labour’s decisions, has requested that the local authority guarantee local watercourses remain uncontaminated.
Cllr Alistair Cole (Reform, Henley) brought the matter forward through a formal written inquiry directed at the council. He stated that Coventry faces a significant contamination issue affecting rivers, including the Sherbourne and Sowe. The River Sowe, for instance, has been shown to contain enormous surges in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. He noted that supporting Severn Trent and the Environment Agency in addressing every type of river contamination serves the interests of residents’ wellbeing, wildlife and ecosystem.
Cllr Cole sought details from the council regarding how many contamination-related prosecutions had occurred, and how frequently Severn Trent had sought entry to hard-to-reach sections of the city’s river network – much of which travels underground through culverts constructed during post-war rebuilding – to conduct water quality assessments.
Cllr Patricia Hetherton, Portfolio Holder for City Services, replied that the council does not hold responsibility for enforcement measures concerning waterway contamination. She noted this is an important point to acknowledge, as waterway matters are frequently presumed to fall within their jurisdiction. She stated that Severn Trent and the Environment Agency do not typically alert the council regarding any prosecutions, as these kinds of incidents are pursued by the Environment Agency. She further noted that Severn Trent has not sought entry to any inaccessible waterway sections for water quality testing purposes.
Severn Trent indicated that the Environment Agency was best placed to address these concerns.
An Environment Agency representative informed the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the agency takes its responsibility for restoring rivers, lakes and coastal waters seriously and remains fully dedicated to enhancing water quality in Coventry’s waterways. The representative noted that as regulator, the agency has been provided with significantly greater authority to safeguard valuable waters, hold water companies and other parties accountable and ensure those responsible for contamination bear the costs. The agency indicated that the enhanced penalties established by the Water (Special Measures) Act will discourage unlawful conduct, enable addressing the enforcement shortfall and bolster capacity to implement swift enforcement measures.
The Environment Agency further noted that during the previous financial year (2025/2026) it had performed over 10,000 water examinations. Enforcement activities had resulted in 96 investigations during that same timeframe and it had secured a record £8.5 million in pledges to address environmental harm.
During 2025/26, it had additionally completed over 4,000 agricultural inspections, contributing to further improvements in water quality. It had identified that 22 percent of water companies and 44 percent of farming locations failed to meet its requirements, reduced from 25 percent and 49 percent respectively in the preceding year.
Furthermore, the Environment Agency, collaborating closely with Natural England, reports it has secured the largest ever commitment from water companies to remediate the environment and fund new infrastructure since privatisation, with 24,000 measures and £22.1 billion in investment promised by 2030.
Debris in the River Sowe near Riley Square, Coventry
Regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the agency indicated that research had been conducted to assess the impact, establish measurement methodologies and comprehend what concentrations of antibiotics and disinfectants can result in bacteria developing resistance.
The agency had outlined in a 2024 blog post on the topic that certain microorganisms can produce illness in humans, animals and vegetation. Consequently, over the past century, numerous antimicrobial substances have been created and utilised to regulate microorganism growth in medicine, farming and industry. The agency noted that microorganisms are now developing growing resistance to these antimicrobials, endangering much of contemporary healthcare and food production. The emergence of resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobials constitutes one of the most significant challenges confronting humanity. The consequences of AMR in medical environments are widely acknowledged: it is believed to be contributing to rising numbers of deaths worldwide. Resistant organisms can also emerge in natural environments, while others may be introduced into water, air or soil through human activities. In either scenario they could potentially go on to infect new hosts.