CHAMS: E-Coli in the Stour and Mude [Updated]!
We have received an urgent message from the Christchurch Harbour and Marine Society regarding astoundingly high levels of E-Coli in the Rivers Stour and Mude.
IT WOULD BE STRONLY ADVISED TO AVOID ENTERING THESE WATERWAYS!
To all Water Sports Clubs and Resident Associations,
We so didn't want to have to write this email but the E-Coli levels have spiked alarmingly in the Stour and our first tests in the river Mude are also very high.
We have notified the Environment Agency and have asked if they could verify our data but tests carried out in the Avon between our Stour tests show our equipment to be working fine.
The Stour has shown a level above 100,000 cfu's per 100ml of water (cfu's - colony forming units).
A subsequent test was higher and today's test is heading the same way, We will have the result around 9pm tonight. Remember 500 units and over indicates unsafe levels and over 1,000 one should not be swimming.
The Mude was also over 100,000 yesterday. Yes, That's One Hundred Thousand.
The Environment Agency do not carry out any regular testing but we were hoping that they would get back to us before close of play yesterday. As a minimum, water sport participants need to know, people with immune deficiency surely need to stay clear of the water at least until we have had the situation clarified.
We so hope we are proved wrong, but we have been testing for E-Coli for a year now and have been getting consistent and relatively low level readings until now.
We have heard of plenty of illness issues already. We don't need it to get worse.
I am so sorry to be the bearer of such news.
Following this email will be another forwarding the news of an upcoming meeting at The Regent Centre at 6pm on the 1st September. It’s going to be a vital meeting for Christchurch.
Sincerely
Martin Stewart
26th August 2026 Update: CHAMS have spoken to the BBC about the situation:
[CHAMS] figures show E. coli levels in the Stour peaked on 19 August at 370,000 E. coli colony-forming units (cfu)/100ml of water compared with 4,217 E. coli cfu/100ml for the same week in 2025.
Speaking on BBC Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast show, Stewart said Chams had been testing the water for nitrates and phosphates for four years but, a year ago, it had been advised to test for E. coli too.
"Anything above 500 cfu, you possibly shouldn't be swimming," he said.
"After 1,000, it starts to get serious and, over the last few weeks, it's been between 1,000 and 5,000.
"Then, suddenly, 10 days ago, it blipped and it was well over 100,000."
The group's data shows that although E. coli levels have since fallen, they remain at more than 10,000 E.coli cfu/100ml.
Published: 23rd August 2026