CONCERNS over water quality have been raised following reports of children being hospitalised after swimming in a river.
North Dorset and Mid Poole MP Vikki Slade has spoken out after a young boy reportedly developed flu-like symptoms and blurred vision after entering the River Stour near Canford School.
There were also unconfirmed reports that another child may have contracted Weil’s disease in the same area.
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Mrs Slade said: "I have been raising concerns about water quality in the River Stour for years, particularly about the stretch from Eye Bridge to Canford School, which is widely used by residents for swimming, rowing, paddleboarding and kayaking.
"Last year, after an incident in the River Stour at Eye Bridge where people reportedly fell ill and dead fish were seen in the water, I called on the government to urgently establish a new, properly resourced regulator with the powers to hold water companies to account.
"I am not aware of the specific cases near Canford School that you have described, and I have not recently been contacted by any agencies regarding these reported incidents.
"However, I am very concerned to hear these reports and will be making urgent enquiries with the Environment Agency and Wessex Water to establish the facts.
"People should be able to enjoy our rivers safely."
Weil’s disease, or leptospirosis, is spread through the urine of infected animals such as rats and can be contracted from soil and water.
Symptoms include a high temperature, headache, body aches and pain and redness in the white part of your eyes.
The UK Health Security Agency UKHSA said leptospirosis is not a notifiable disease, so there is no statutory requirement for GPs to report cases.
The agency also said it had not received any reports of people contracting the disease from swimming in the River Stour.
The affected area is not classified as designated bathing water and therefore is not routinely tested for bacteria under bathing water regulations.
The Environment Agency confirmed it had not received any disease reports linked to the river.
A spokesperson for Wessex Water said there were no reported issues with the company’s sewerage assets at the site.
The company said it does not give advice on swimming at specific locations.
While there are two licensed storm overflows upstream, neither has operated since February.
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