A 100-metre-wide algal bloom left an area of Windermere unfit for bathing, tests have revealed, as campaigners blamed United Utilities for continually dumping sewage.
Matt Staniek, director of the Save Windermere campaign, said the group were alerted to an “extensive” area of blue-green algae at Waterhead, Ambleside on 25 June. The bacteria can be poisonous to both humans and animals.
Although it is not among the Government’s designated bathing sites, Waterhead is popular for water activities and people were swimming at the time, campaigners said.
Bodies of water, such as the lake in question and the sea, are referred to as bathing waters. If you’re ever on an English beach and you want to know if that particular stretch is clean enough to go in the water, you check the bathing water profile for where you are. https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/
In this context, bathing is used to mean swimming. For example, a public pool is referred to as the swimming baths. It’s just British English.
I’ve enjoyed a grasmerian (graswegian?) summer. I was taking the piss.