Which London rivers and canals can you swim in? Sadiq Khan launches 10 year clean up plan

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The Mayor of London has identified ten areas to focus the clean-up on, with the extra spend set to add to the £13.55m previously announced.

It comes after LBC reported independent testing on the River Thames recorded one of the highest E. coli readings ever documented.

Anglian Water, which supplies almost seven million customers across the East of England and Hartlepool, recorded more than 1,000 pollution incidents in 2025, it was announced on the same day as the mayor's press release.

Within a press statement, Sir Sadiq said: “London’s rivers and waterways are the lifeblood of the city, but for too long, they have been neglected, polluted or cut off from the communities around them.

"Habitats that should support otters, kingfishers, water voles, fish and other wildlife have been damaged by sewage, road runoff, litter and decades of underinvestment.

"The impact has been felt by nature and by Londoners, particularly those communities that already experience the greatest environmental inequality."

Sir Sadiq is now looking to follow the example of Paris, where the Seine has been substantially cleaned in recent years and can now be swum in.

Earlier in the year, 13 proposed designated swimming sites were put forward for the UK.

Here is where you can currently swim in and around London.

Read also: We're taking the government to court over polluted waters - and here's why

Which London rivers and canals can you swim in?

It's a pretty short list, as only one section of the Thames, at Ham and Kingston, is an official swimming spot, having opened in May.

There are some other official swimming sites across the country, including 13 new ones opened for 2026, for the season, which runs until the end of September.

For Londoners, however, the rest of the Thames is out of bounds, and the River Lea and Grand Union Canal are also no-go areas, as is the Brent.

There are other non-rivers in London where you can enjoy wild swimming:

• Royal London Docks: In Newham, in the Docklands part of London, there is the opportunity to swim in an area that is left open to the elements,
• West Reservoir: Large natural lake near Finsbury Park which received £700,000 from the Mayor to create new reedbeds for wildlife, improve the outdoor swimming facilities and open up waterside green space,
• The Serpentine: Famously in Hyde Park, swimmers can enjoy the natural pool with access available from June to mid‑September.

Where are the 10 London waterways that will be improved under the Mayor of London's scheme?

• River Brent catchment (Barnet, Brent, Harrow, Ealing, Hounslow): Reducing sewage pollution by resolving incorrectly plumbed pipes, alongside new opportunities for walking and a better environment for wildlife in West London Regional Park and a new marathon-length park spanning four London boroughs. 
• Yeading Brook (Harrow, Hillingdon): Delivering a major rewilding programme to restore the brook to a more natural state, creating a more biodiverse and resilient riverbank. 
• Upper Lea Valley (Enfield, Haringey, Waltham Forest): Creating natural sustainable drainage systems to reduce river pollution and flood risk, alongside opportunities to restore sections of lost rivers. 
• Lower Lea Valley and Royal Docks (Newham, Tower Hamlets): Transforming the waterfront and improving access to inclusive water-based activities, including delivering safe open-water safety sessions.  
• Grand Union Canal (Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham): Upgrading the canal towpaths and regenerating the waterside to enable better access to the canal and more water based activities.
• Salmons Brook and Pymmes Brook (Enfield): Restoring the landscape and creating wetlands to reduce pollution and risk of flooding.
• River Roding (Newham, Barking and Dagenham): Improving access to the riverside, alongside engaging the local community in habitat restoration and water quality monitoring. 
• Ravensbourne catchment (Croydon, Bromley, Lewisham): Restoring habitats and improving access along the river, restoring sections of the river to its natural state, to reduce flood risk and improve biodiversity. 
• Wandle catchment (Croydon, Wandsworth, Sutton, Merton): Restoring the rare chalk stream and enhancing the riverbank through a new vision for Wandle Valley Regional Park, restoring habitats, creating fish superhighways, improving public access and community engagement and exploring opportunities to restore lost rivers. 
• Lower Crane Valley (Hounslow, Richmond): Creating a new 40km riverside trail, restoring the river to its natural state and improving habitats for wildlife