AFTER testing the water quality of 48 freshwater sites across the UK, a study by charity Planet Patrol has found that the River Dart was the only river in the country that met all pollution standards.

Five different parameters were set. These were the concentrations of nitrates, nitrites and phosphates, the river’s pH level, and the presence or absence of coliform.

Coliforms are a type of faecal bacteria that are known to cause serious illness.

While no river was unacceptable in every measure, it was only the River Dart that passed in every measure.

Of the other rivers tested in Devon, the River Exe failed on three different points, while the River Axe wasn’t up to scratch in two.

The River Teign was not tested.

All findings can be found in the Planet Patrol’s What Lies Beneath Report 2022: https://planetpatrol.co/what-lies-beneath/