What role do you play in this saga then
Right, I'll spell it out for you. I am secretary of an association with 3000 anglers. We have certain projects on the go and Thames Water, even before this case, are supporting us. We get some finances from the EA, but a larger portion will come from Thames Water's Community Trust. alongside that, we are treated as one of the STAKEholders (please note, NOT SHAREholders) and they keep us informed as much as possible and since I like being nosey I learn from them as much as possible about water treatment since it can affect us at any time. THAT IS ALL. Honestly.
Why cant they all be stopped?
It's my opinion, TW will try to stop them all if they can, but as I say. it's like trying to stop road accidents. The pressure being put on STWs now by the growing populations is enormous but added to that is the stupid things people put down their toilets that cause all manner of problems in the sewerage, fatbergs etc., and these bl00dy nuisance condoms, tampons and other cr@p that we find in the rivers after an incident. One of the cases brought was said to have been caused by a fatberg breaking up and coming down the pipes and beggering up some pump or other. If they could get rid of people, the STWs would work perfectly (he say tongue in cheek). Plus there's the fact that when we get excessive rainfall, most of it from roofs and even shopping precincts now goes down sewers rather than soak-aways adding to the pressure on STWs. The sewage remains pretty constant with the population, but in 2014 there was so much going down the pipes they (all companies affected not just TW) couldn't cope and effluent (untreated sewage, had to be released into the waterways. There literally is NOTHING else you can do once storm tanks are full. Even the people in a nearby village to the Thames were complaining that their downstairs toilets weren't flushing away well enough and they didn't like it when I said, don't use them too often then (if it's yellow let it mellow... etc.). People do expect that when they flush the loo that's it, goodbye, end of, but it's just the beginning.
Here's an example: the lady next door once asked where I'd been all day and I'd been to a stakeholder's meeting at TW in London (nice food BTW). I told her about the 16tone fatberg and what had caused it and she confessed to emptying all her plates, pans, and scrap meats, gravy the whole works from a Sunday roast down the toilet. I told her under no circumstance never to and I think and hope she doesn't do that any longer.
Anyway, it's because of weather and people putting all manner of stuff down their loos that incidents will always occur, IMO!
And I really do mean this, if anyone gets the opportunity, go around a STW wherever it is and ask your questions. It's fascinating (and not at all smelly, well you do get used to it.) Oh and just to reiterate, Thames Water in 2015 we by far NOT the worst polluter in the country. South West Water won that title and there were quite a few other before you got to TW.
But just to please you, Mr Crow, I believe you're in Severn Trent area and they were one of the best performers. It also pleases me because my wife worked for one of their subsidiaries and she has shares in ST, it pays us a nice bonus on our meagre pensions.
Oh, and I too worked for Arco Chimie across Europe and I know the dangers of their chemicals. If we'd had an accident at the Rotterdam plant then all of Rotterdam would have gone up also. There was a map on the wall at FOS with circular rings around parts of it going up to Marseilles and when I asked they told me they were evacuation zones depending on wind speed. Thankfully, all is safe, but the public don't meddle with them, that's why.
No doubt you will have to bid for project money from this Trust I take it? If that’s the case, who sits on the awarding board?
Sorry Phil, I can't answer that for now since it hasn't been formally decided. The members of the Community Trust will no doubt have the final say. It's a bit like with the Wandle that was polluted some years ago, 2007, if memory serves. TW put in a further £500,000 I think and that was just the start, the locals set up the Wandle Trust and used it to get further grants form other organisations and now that Trust has, so I believe, 11permanent members of staff.
Here's something you'll relate to - Hyde Fed of Anglers asked us (Tameside Sports Council) for matched funding to restock the Hyde canal, way back in 1976. They put up £500 and we gave them £500 (lot of money back then). The the Assistant Recreation Officer in Tameside said "Wait a minute, don't spend it yet." and together we put in an application to Cheshire County Council for a further grant for Hyde Fed and they eventually ended up with £5000. Money begats more money, never forget that.
Any more? And still - should I tell TW to stuff their money or use it to improve the environment?
---------- Post added at 22:39 ---------- Previous post was at 22:13 ----------
As you can see I have removed you from my "ignore list"
Oh you are a little sweetie... Thanks. :wh
But look, I don't blame people for being annoyed. No one wants to see anywhere suffering a pollution and the guy I know at TW is an angler (and a good one) himself, an ambassador to the World Wildlife Fund and each time there is an incident I think he want to put his head in his hands and wishes it would all go away. He is gutted (to use the modern vernacular). But what's done is done and as I say, TW are improving beyond belief. EVERY water company has incidents, TW are not alone so you have to look at your own and maybe what you're not being told. TW's case was very public because they asked for 6 cases to be brought together and the fine was huge. But like I say, there are many other companies that are now worse so keep your eyes peeled for any pollutions.
I'll tell you a story - I heard (but haven't had it confirmed yet) that the legal fees in this case claimed by the EA were enormous and judging by the documents the judge had I can believe it. Now a tale of the eel, on the red list of endangered species and the main problem facing eels here are weirs and the barriers they cause on migration upstream. A group of club officials were asked by the EA at a meeting to put forward ideas of weirs that would benefit from an eel pass. I got in touch with the chap and he came and inspected our weir (because we have Thames Valley Police Diving Unit sometimes and they'd told me they see thousands of eel under the weir sill) and yes, what a great idea said the EA man. Three years later and I still can't get funding of £3000-£5000 to buy an eel pass and the EA just say they can't afford it. Even though they damned well asked for them. Anyway, the crux of the story is - I believe the 'legal fees' in this case would have bought eel passes for ever weir up the Thames from Teddington to Lechlade. How good would that have been?
Sarcasm bit: but at least solicitors and QCs can now enjoy holidays in the Bahamas and Seychelles this year.
