Surfing a rising tide of rubbish
THE findings are no surprise to surfer Dean Broad, who rides the famed Severn Bore each year.
Last year, he filled a large bag with plastic waste he found in just a 10-yard stretch of the river.
“My idea is just to pick up a large bag of plastic after every surf from wherever it’s safe to do so and then take it to a nearby recycling centre,” he said.
“A Bore rider also the local
Against Sewage day’s riverbank year.
“The local landowners are great at allowing us access to their land when this happens.
“My idea is about the times in between really.
“Yes, it’s probably going to be never-ending, but we all have to start somewhere.”
Households have added to the problem, says Severn Trent, particularly when it comes to sewage friend of mine is rep for Surfers and organises a clean-up twice a spills. Unfortunately, one of the biggest causes of water pollution is from our customers’ homes,” the company website states.
“The reason for this is that most houses connect into two types of sewer system: surface-water drains take water from roofs and the ground and guide it to streams and rivers; foul-water drains take waste water from homes and transport it to waste water treatment works. When these drains are wrongly connected, waste water is discharged into streams and rivers, causing pollution.
“Wrong connections are not only harmful to the environment, but they’re illegal, too. That’s because pollution from misconnections kills plants and fish, creates unpleasant smells and is also an eyesore.
“Furthermore, it can cause health risks, particularly to children and animals.”
Last year, Severn Trent Water was fined £350,000 following a chemical spill that killed 30,000 fish.
The incident happened on the River Amber, Derbyshire, in 2015. An underground chamber flooded at the company’s Ogston Reservoir treatment plant and sodium hydroxide, used as a purifier, was released into the watercourse.