Source: ARK / Angling Trust
When ground water levels are high, sewers frequently become inundated with water which gets in through holes in the sewer pipes, gaps around manhole covers and misconnected drains. Sewers become so full of water that the lids pop-up, spewing the foul contents across the surrounding area and letting sewage flow directly into the river.
The pictured example in Marlborough yesterday shows the consequences of a sewer ‘surcharging’ its contents alongside the Kennet at Cooper’s Meadow.
ARK is asking people to report pollution from sewer flooding to the Environment Agency Incident Line on 0800 807060 and to Thames Water on 0845 9200 800 as well as telling them where the problem hotspots are by emailing carolyn@riverkennet.org.
Thames Water will clear up flooding from their sewers, but better still ARK would like to see sewers maintained to a standard where sewer flooding is much less frequent. This type of pollution is bad for the environment, and a hazard to health – as well as being very unpleasant to have to walk through.
ARK suggest that everyone can play their part in reducing sewer flooding by being careful what they flush away. They say, for example, that wet wipes should not be flushed down the loo, and that blockages caused by cooking fat, non-flushable sanitary products and wet wipes make the sewer flooding problem worse.
Charlotte Hitchmough, ARK’s director said:
“We are meeting Thames Water this month and one of the issues we will be discussing is the performance of their sewers and sewage treatment works during wet weather, it is simply unacceptable that raw sewage enters the river each time we get heavy rain.”
ARK’s call was endorsed by the Angling Trust and Mark Owen, Head of Freshwater at the Trust, commented:
“Groundwater pollution through leaky sewer pipes is a real problem in chalk aquifers where springs can break through in unexpected places and overwhelm the system at times of high water. It is vital that the water companies are funded by the regulator to build in greater resilience to extreme weather conditions because, quite frankly, the current ageing infrastructure is simply not up to coping with what climate change is throwing our way.”
Of course as far as angling is concerned the current state of the Kennet is a different matter; as where the river can be safely accessed some superb barbel are being caught in the mild and wet conditions.
