PROTESTERS have rallied to call for urgent action over 'disgraceful' inaction that has led to 'cascading' sewage running into rivers and streams across Berkshire.
A rally was held at Victoria Park in Newbury on Sunday, April 14, and was attended by activists, actor Jim Murray, and a host of politicians.
People at the event held signs saying 'Thames Water stop discharging sewage into our waterways' and brandished emoji poo cuddly toys.
Campaigners and neighbours have been dismayed at evidence of untreated sewage 'cascading' into the Kennet from an 'unmonitored manhole', raw sewage flowing from streets in Lambourn into the river system, and 'drive slowly' signs outside Compton CofE Primary School to prevent drivers splashing sewage onto pedestrians.
Speaking at the rally, longtime Kennet angler and Angling Trust head of policy Martin Salter, said: “What is happening right now in Lambourn, with raw sewage flowing down the streets and into the river, is an absolute disgrace.
“The storm overflows discharging straight into the Kennet, a so-called protected SSSI chalk stream, is a disgrace.
“But what is even more disgraceful is that Thames Water has no plans to fix groundwater infiltration until 2045 or to tackle the failings of the Marlborough water treatment facility until 2035.
“And even if their business plans are approved what confidence do we have that this bankrupt and failing disaster of a water company will deliver on even these inadequate commitments?”
The event was held by a coalition of concerned groups and individuals, led by the Kennet Catchment River Keepers Association (KCRA), with support from the Angling Trust, Action for the River Kennet (ARK), residents, and Reading to Newbury angling clubs.
Attendees witnessed speeches from activists at the Victoria Park bandstand.
Politicians present included Laura Farris, the Conservative MP for Newbury, Lee Dillon, the Liberal Democrat leader of West Berkshire Council, and Olivia Bailey, the Labour MP candidate for Reading West & Mid Berkshire.
Riverkeeper and KCRA chairman Sam Marshall said: “The River Kennet, like all our chalk streams, is a jewel in England's river systems, yet it is being treated much more like an open sewer and waste disposal system than a globally rare ecosystem.
“The sheer lack of investment from water companies has led to rivers being sucked dry in the summer months, and then filled with sewage in the winter months, subjecting them to year-round undue stress.
“Our water services industry is not only broken but also completely unregulated.
“The governing bodies that should be prosecuting and protecting our waterways are so underfunded they are non-existent.
“We need to see vast improvements from regulators, pushing for prosecutions of underperforming and polluting water companies."
Anna Forbes, Action for the River Kennet (ARK), Senior Project Officer added: “Our fragile chalk streams have had months of raw sewage continuously pouring into them, from sewage treatment works without adequate capacity and from burst manholes.
“Our water quality testing evidence very concerning ammonia, phosphate, and bacteria results.
“We are demanding better from the government, regulators, and Thames Water for our rivers, their wildlife, and the local communities.
“We want to see long-term solutions, not the expensive sticking plaster reactive responses happening at the moment.”
A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We regard all discharges as unacceptable and we have published plans to upgrade over 250 of our sewage treatment works, including at these affected sites.
“We recently completed a £5million upgrade to Hungerford sewage works and we’re completing a £2million upgrade at Kintbury. We also have plans to upgrade our Ramsbury and Marlborough sewage treatment sites.
“The overflows are designed to operate automatically when the sewer network is about to be overwhelmed by heavy rainfall, by releasing diluted wastewater into rivers, rather than letting it back up into people’s homes.
“Taking action to improve the health of rivers is a key focus for us and we are leading the way with our transparent approach to data. We remain the only water company to provide live alerts for discharges to our customers and environmental groups.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here