The bathing ponds have been closed since Monday afternoon following very heavy rain, which led to incidents of flooding and suspected sewage contamination. The City of London Corporation is currently carrying out water quality tests, which may mean that the ponds will remain closed until at least Thursday. Occasional updates are being posted on the Hampstead Heath twitter feed, and a more detailed explanation is here in an email from the Heath Superintendent.
Coincidently, press coverage concerning sewage contamination caused by water companies, including Thames Water, were published yesterday here and here.
We are also awaiting further updates on arrangements to be put in place at the bathing ponds following the lifting of most Coronavirus restrictions in England from 19 July 2021. This will now be dependent on when the water is clean enough for swimming. The Superintendent’s email (link above) also provides an outline of the proposed operating arrangements from next week subject to the outcome of water quality tests.
This website will be updated when we have more information.