Can you swim at Wolvercote Mill Stream right now?

Wolvercote Mill Stream is currently marked "Caution". This spot's annual water-quality classification is Poor. Bathing isn't recommended. This reflects the latest data published by the Environment Agency (England). Conditions change quickly — always assess the water yourself before entering.

What is the water quality like at Wolvercote Mill Stream?

the Environment Agency (England) classified Wolvercote Mill Stream as Poor in 2025. Classifications are a rolling assessment of bacterial samples taken over four bathing seasons, measured against E. coli and intestinal enterococci limits set by the EU Bathing Water Directive.

Is there a swimming ban or warning at Wolvercote Mill Stream?

There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environment Agency (England) for Wolvercote Mill Stream. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.

What facilities are there at Wolvercote Mill Stream?

Wolvercote Mill Stream has toilets, parking. Facility information comes from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Wolvercote Mill Stream

Caution

This spot's annual water-quality classification is Poor. Bathing isn't recommended.

Checked 12 days ago against the Environment Agency (England) · data last changed 2 months ago.

This spot’s record

Wolvercote Mill Stream is in Oxford, about 22 km from Thame. Wolvercote Mill Stream has been rated Poor in each of the 4 bathing seasons classified by the Environment Agency (England), 2022 through 2025. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environment Agency (England), E. coli counts ranged from 160 to 1,500 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 29 July 2026. A classification is calculated from percentiles across four seasons, so no single reading decides how this water is rated.

Recent sample results

The last 12 bacterial samples published by the Environment Agency (England), most recent on the right. Counts are per 100 ml of water.

Dashed line: 500 E. coli per 100 ml, the Bathing Water Directive guide value for coastal / transitional waters.

Recent bacterial sample results for this bathing water
Date	E. coli	Enterococci	Assessment
23 Sept	300	170	—
18 Sept	430	170	—
11 Sept	310	120	—
9 Sept	310	140	—
6 Sept	480	300	—
28 Aug	360	300	—

A bathing water's official classification is calculated from percentiles across four bathing seasons, not from any single sample — so one high reading doesn't mean a spot is unsafe, and one low reading doesn't mean it's clean today.

Quality over the last 4 years

Poor2022
Poor2023
Poor2024
Poor2025

This water has been rated Poor in each of the last 4 years.

Facilities & access

Parking: YesCar park about 100 m away (OpenStreetMap)
Toilets: YesPublic toilets about 100 m away (OpenStreetMap)

Storm overflows nearby

None of the storm overflows within 5 km with an up-to-date reading are discharging. Heavy rain makes combined sewers overflow into rivers and the sea by design, so this changes with the weather.

Not dischargingabout 2.3 km awayDischarges into River ThamesLast discharge ended 1 October 2024Reported by Thames Water
Not dischargingabout 3.1 km awayDischarges into Seacourt StreamLast discharge ended 29 August 2026Reported by Thames Water
Not dischargingabout 3.9 km awayDischarges into Seacourt StreamLast discharge ended 10 February 2026Reported by Thames Water

These are the water company’s own reports of when an overflow is operating, not a measurement of the water at this spot. A discharge into a river some distance away may never reach here; a quiet list does not mean the water is clean. The swim status above comes from the bathing-water monitoring body and does not use this data.

Official water quality

Classified Poor in 2025.

Official bathing-water profile

What Excellent, Good, Sufficient and Poor actually mean

Common questions

Can you swim at Wolvercote Mill Stream right now?: Wolvercote Mill Stream is currently marked "Caution". This spot's annual water-quality classification is Poor. Bathing isn't recommended. This reflects the latest data published by the Environment Agency (England). Conditions change quickly — always assess the water yourself before entering.
What is the water quality like at Wolvercote Mill Stream?: the Environment Agency (England) classified Wolvercote Mill Stream as Poor in 2025. Classifications are a rolling assessment of bacterial samples taken over four bathing seasons, measured against E. coli and intestinal enterococci limits set by the EU Bathing Water Directive.
Is there a swimming ban or warning at Wolvercote Mill Stream?: There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environment Agency (England) for Wolvercote Mill Stream. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
What facilities are there at Wolvercote Mill Stream?: Wolvercote Mill Stream has toilets, parking. Facility information comes from OpenStreetMap contributors.

This spot is also in

Beaches rated Poor in the United Kingdom

Get told when this changes

We’ll email you when the swim status at Wolvercote Mill Stream moves — a pollution alert opening, or one lifting. Not a newsletter: only this spot, only when it changes, at most once every 12 hours.

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Nearby swimming spots

See all swimming spots near Thame — about 22 km away.