Over the past three months, the Nature-based Solutions team at Surrey Wildlife Trust has been out on the River Wey, conducting water testing to assess E.coli levels, thanks to funding from Farming in Protected Landscapes.

Using the methodology developed by Water Rangers, we collected samples from various points along the River Wey and its tributaries. A huge thank you to the Water Rangers team for their support throughout this project!

E.coli is a naturally occurring bacterium in our environment, but elevated levels can indicate contamination from sources such as sewage. E. coli for recreation in inland waters in England is recommended to be less than 1,000 CFU/100mL. By testing across multiple locations, we aimed to better understand the health of Surrey’s rivers and identify areas of concern.

During Rivers Week 2025, we completed the final round of sampling at five sites in West Surrey, following earlier tests in July and August. Repeated testing is crucial, as water conditions can change rapidly due to rainfall, temperature, and other environmental factors.

Each test involved collecting two water samples per site, which were then taken to the Water Rangers lab at ZERO Carbon Guildford for analysis.

Surrey’s rivers are well loved by both people and wildlife, and maintaining their health is vital for safe recreation and ecological resilience.

This testing forms part of the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund Project, which explores the role of Natural Flood Management (NFM) in the catchment. The E.coli data adds valuable insight into river health and strengthens the case for NFM interventions to improve water quality in the Wey.

You can see below for a summary of the results from our tests over the last few months (E. coli for recreation in inland waters in England is recommended to be less than 1,000 CFU/100mL):