Polluted state of our rivers is a plague that affects us all
SARAH DINES, MP for Derbyshire Dales, on how she is pushing for cleaner rivers
OUR rivers shape and sustain our surroundings and, whether it is the central function they play in supporting our natural environment, or the enjoyment and pleasure we take from visiting them, they are arguably our landscape’s most important feature.
I have spent many an hour by the rivers in Derbyshire Dales, both as a child and now as a Member of Parliament, meeting with river managers and constituents.
When I am in Westminster I am reminded of the national significance of our rivers when I often have the opportunity to look out across the Thames.
It is a conveyor belt of activity, rich in history and cultural significance. It functions as many things; a transport system, a historical landmark, and even, a bit further downstream, a playing field for sailors, rowers and occasionally swimmers, much like our rivers here in Derbyshire Dales.
However, the capital’s river is also notorious for its muddy brown water, and, like me, I expect pollution is one of the first things that comes to mind if you were to spend the time to think about the Thames.
Unfortunately, river pollution is not simply a plague in our great metropolis but a national issue, affecting rivers in rural areas like ours.
There has been a passionate – and sometimes poorly informed – national conversation about the volume of untreated sewerage in both rivers and the sea.
I know many constituents share my enthusiasm for the conservation of our local watercourses, and I wanted to share with you my commitment to champion the rivers in our area.
I would like to take this opportunity to refute the accusations I have recently faced that I, or the Government, have opposed genuine attempts to limit sewerage in our rivers. Often this suggestion relies on the fact that the Government opposed an amendment to the Environment Bill last year that would have both cost the taxpayer many hundreds of billions of pounds and would have likely flooded homes with backed up raw sewage at times of heavy rain. Bolting these overflows shut overnight is not an appropriate nor realistic solution, although I do genuinely wish it could be that simple.
Successive Governments have failed to introduce measures to properly modernise our, sometimes Victorian era, sewerage systems. The passing of the Environment Bill last year, but more importantly the recent publishing of the “Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan” contains the first meaningful commitments in this policy area.
Remarkably, it was only due to the recent legislation that 90% of storm overflows are now monitored from just five per cent a decade ago.
In the Plan, water companies have been mandated to invest at least
£56 billion into their infrastructure between now and 2050 to achieve a number of legally binding targets, which include ensuring that by 2035 at least 75% of all storm overflows are not adversely affecting the local environment.
In our area, I understand Severn Trent Water has promised to dramatically reduce their use of storm overflows by 2025, with all adverse effects of their use nullified by 2030.
We must all also do all we can to address this issue.
Wet wipes, grease and other sanitary products have an enormous impact on the efficiency of our drains and we should redouble our efforts to ensure we are disposing of our household waste appropriately – for the sake of our rivers, and the men and women ultimately tasked with unblocking the “bergs” these items create.
I recently met Severn Trent Water and look forward to meeting my ministerial colleagues in the coming weeks to ensure both our local water company and Westminster are moving at pace to improve the water quality here in Derbyshire Dales, and I will of course, keep you up to date with the progress of my activities on this matter.
Our rivers are one of our country’s principal assets, and I will not hesitate to press decision-makers for swift improvements.
Successive Governments have failed to properly modernise our, sometimes Victorian era, sewerage systems