An environmental charity is calling for Cumbria’s MPs to support a Bill in Parliament that will tackle river pollution from untreated sewage.
In 2019, four storm overflow sites in Keswick and Portinscale were responsible for 140 raw sewage spills into Derwentwater and the Rivers Derwent and Greta.
These discharges lasted almost 500 hours in total, compromising vital habitats for wildlife and endangering the health of people who use the river for recreation.
Along with many other environmental charities nationwide, West Cumbria Rivers Trust is supporting the Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill which places a duty on water companies to stop this discharge of untreated sewage.
The bill was introduced by MP Philip Dunne and will have its reading in Parliament on Friday January 15th.
Vikki Salas, assistant director at West Cumbria Rivers Trust, said: “We need as many people as possible to write to their MP, asking them to support the bill.
“We also need our MPs to understand that this Bill is not just about improving the quality of designated coastal bathing waters, but the health of all rivers.
“This bill will improve all rivers and lakes and have enormous benefits for people and wildlife.
“Our waterways in Cumbria are hugely important for a wide range of recreational users, be that open water swimmers, anglers, kayakers or simply children just having fun.
“West Cumbria’s rivers are also home to threatened species like wild Atlantic salmon and the critically endangered freshwater mussel.
“Neither people nor wildlife should be coming into contact with raw sewage through the use of our waterways as ‘out of sight, out of mind’ spillways and we want to see all MPs support this bill.”
The Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill places a duty on water companies to ensure that untreated sewage is not discharged into rivers and other inland waters.
It will require water companies to set out plans progressively to reduce their reliance on combined sewer overflows.
The bill also proposes measures to upgrade drainage infrastructure to separate household sewage from surface water drainage, helping reduce the risk of overspills.
It includes measures to reduce harmful products such as non-biodegradable wet wipes, commercial fats and oils from being disposed down the drains.
It also proposes measures to expand the number of inland bathing waters and establish targets to increase those classified as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.
The bill is supported nationally by organisations including Surfers Against Sewage, the Rivers Trust, the Wildlife Trusts, The Angling Trust, the Chalk Aquifer Alliance and Salmon and Trout Conservation.
Anyone who wants to write to their MP can generate a template email at www.sas.org.uk/EndSewagePollution-SewageBill
The Keswick-based West Cumbria Rivers Trust is an environmental charity working to restore and enhance the rivers, lakes, estuaries and surrounding countryside of West Cumbria.
The trust’s work includes improving water quality, enhancing habitats to improve wildlife diversity and reducing flood risk. Education sessions are run for schools, teaching the next generation about the importance of the environment.
West Cumbria Rivers Trust celebrated its 10th anniversary year in 2019. It employs 16 staff and is supported by volunteers who donated more than 3,000 hours of their time in the year to March 2020.
