A CHRISTCHURCH resident said he is ‘put off’ from entering the harbour after spotting dark patches of foam in the water.

Jon Berger, 65, was left ‘disgusted’ when he returned to Christchurch Harbour from the Bournemouth Air Festival on Sunday morning.

As a retired lawyer, Jon often spends his free time on the water and said areas of unsanitary water are not particularly uncommon.

Bournemouth Echo: Christchurch Harbour

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“I came back after being anchored off Bournemouth Pier for the air show and came across several patches of effluent,” said Jon.

“I was concerned because obviously it was a hot Sunday in August or September and there were literally thousands of people then on the water.

“Who knows what the water quality was? It can't have been good.

“It just screams E. Coli, doesn't it? There were kids wading in the water, people swimming, people on paddleboards, dinghies, all sorts as far as I could tell.”

Jon said up close the spoiled water smelt ‘stagnant and horrid’, making him concerned for the health of the public.

“It's disgusting and quite honestly, it makes you worried to use the harbour. It puts you off.

“It's upsetting and distressing because people assume it's bright sunshine, the water sparkling, let's go and have a nice swim.

“And why not? They've got a right to do that, but you can't take it for granted that it's safe to do that, which is really sad.”

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However, Wessex Water said that no storm overflows were operated near Christchurch on Sunday and any possible contamination did not come from its assests.

Storm overflows are operated automatically after a period of heavy rainfall, and Surfers Against Sewage are informed by Wessex Water so that alerts can be put in place.

But on this occasion, no reports were made to Surfers Against Sewage.

A spokesperson for Wessex Water said: “Boats in the harbour will have private sewerage arrangements which may be responsible.

“That said, river foam is often a natural phenomenon produced by decaying organic material and is mostly air and water.”

Jon is calling for more quality checks to be made on the water, to ensure the popular harbour is safe and healthy to enter.