By Abdullahi Lukman
Wild swimmers in Shropshire say they feel safer thanks to a new mobile app that provides real-time water quality data from the River Severn, using high-tech sensors installed near Frankwell in Shrewsbury.
The free Shropshire Wild Bathing app displays daily readings on water clarity (turbidity), ammonium levels, and temperature, helping users decide whether conditions are safe for swimming.
The data is collected through cartridges that automatically pump in river water, with results transmitted to the app via telemetry.
The system was developed by the River Severn Partnership, which includes Shropshire Council and the Environment Agency, following a successful trial on the River Teme in Ludlow.
A similar system is planned for Ironbridge in 2026.
Dee Hancock, a regular wild swimmer, said the app empowers people to make informed choices. “If it’s showing poor quality, we don’t go in.
If it’s OK, we go in — and that’s the decision made,” she said, adding that it helps her confidently introduce others to wild swimming.
Environment Agency water quality specialist Tom Coekin explained the sensors check bacterial concentrations daily, with ammonium levels indicating organic waste and turbidity revealing potential pollution.
The app also clearly marks acceptable safety thresholds.
With only three designated wild swimming sites in the River Severn catchment, all located in Shropshire, project leaders hope the technology will support further expansion.
Programme manager Matt Smith described the initiative as “innovative” and unique in the UK.
