A clean water campaigner has said possible changes to bathing water regulations are "huge news" for her call for bathing water status on a section of a river.
Ruth Leach, from action group Save the Deben, welcomed the launch of a consultation into reforms to bathing water regulations by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
One of the key reforms proposed by the consultation is to expand the legal definition of bathers to include participants in water sports other than swimming, including paddle boarding and surfing.
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In 2022, Ms Leach had submitted an application to Defra for designated bathing water status along stretches of the River Deben at Woodbridge and Waldringfield.
The status recognises that a site is safe for swimming and the water does not possess harmful levels of bacteria or pollutants.
However, while the Waldringfield site was approved, Woodbridge was refused because the application had included non-swimmers among the bathing numbers to demonstrate the popularity of the site, but at the time these were not counted by Defra.
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Ms Leach said: "This is huge news with big implications for Woodbridge if the consultation outcome is favourable.
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"In short, I withheld my application to Defra for designated bathing water status for Woodbridge last year, because I was concerned for the safety of bathers in a river full of river traffic which meant we can't reapply until 2026 because they have suspended applications for two years while they consider reforming bathing water legislation.
"I have been asking for people using canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and dinghies to be included in the number counts that create eligibility for bathing water status but have been declined.
"I have sent many pictures to Defra of people in the water as a result of accidently falling off their kayak etc.
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"These people should also be considered as they are at equal risk of being affected by pollution. Now this is being considered in the public consultation."
Other Defra proposals within the consultation include removing fixed bathing water season dates to allow for a more flexible approach to monitoring and further consideration of water quality and public safety when applications are assessed.
Furthermore, multiple testing points could be introduced at bathing water sites and there would be an end to the automatic de-designation of bathing sites after five consecutive years of a site being rated "poor".
The consultation is seeking the views of the public, community groups, environmental groups, farmers, businesses and local authorities.
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