This data set comprises water quality data from five tributaries of the River Thames, UK. Sampling sites at each river were from both upstream and downstream of sewage effluent point sources. Parameters measured were phosphorus and nitrogen species, dissolved organic carbon and major dissolved anions (fluoride, chloride, sulphate). This work was carried out as a part of the NERC project: “The environmental REsistome: confluence of Human and Animal Biota in antibiotic resistance spread (REHAB)” (Project reference NE/N019660/1).