The River Medway has been found to have more than three times the level of E. Coli which is considered safe.

Samples of water taken at St Mary’s Island and the Strand, Gillingham, have been shown to have dangerous levels, indicating sewage or animal waste contamination.

Medway Lib Dems are calling on the council to perform regular testing of the water and issuing warnings when dangerous amounts of pollutants are found.

According to Environment Agency guidelines, coastal bathing water is considered poor if the E. Coli bacteria count is greater than 500 cfu/100ml.

Lib Dem testing at St Mary’s Island showed the sample was 700 cfu/100ml.

At the Strand it was at 1700 cfu/100ml, which is 3.4 times greater than safe levels.

People who come into contact with water polluted with certain strains of E. Coli are at risk of vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases kidney failure.

Last year, a study by Unearthed, Greenpeace’s journalism project, found the Medway constituencies had suffered nearly 700 hours of sewage spillage in 2022.

This amounted to approximately 600 million litres overflowing into the Towns’ streets and the River Medway in the whole year from Southern Water sites.

This translates to about a third of an Olympic-sized swimming pool of raw sewage being spilled every hour.

Graham Colley, Lib Dem candidate for Rochester and Strood, said: “I’m deeply concerned for the many water-sport clubs and businesses that use this part of the river.

“If the water is no longer safe because it’s been contaminated with sewage, these clubs and businesses could potentially close.”

Stuart Bourne, Lib Dem candidate for Gillingham and Rainham, added: “I take my two kids to the Strand all the time.

“Like other children down there, they love to throw stones into the water or go for a little paddle on hot days.

“It is disgraceful that water companies are putting the health of my children at risk by dumping raw sewage into our river.”

The Medway Lib Dems have launched a petition to ask the council to monitor pollution levels and give warnings to residents if they are too high. Their petition can be signed here.

Medway Council and Southern Water were contacted for comment.