Water quality concern

Residents have expressed concern over the state of the River Lavant as ‘citizen scientists’ take a look at pollution in the precious waterway.

The rare chalk stream is considered to be one of the most preciousin the country. Despite this, for more than six months last year untreated sewage was discharged into the river from local treatment works

According to the Environment Agency, the water quality in the Lavant is poor, with high levels of ammonia, high temperature and high PH level.

Listed as reasons for not achieving ‘good’ status, the Lavant received three counts of ‘pollution from waste water’ due to the ‘water industry’. A spokeman for Southern Water said: “We fully support citizen science and are making a number of high-tech ‘Fluidion’ test machines available to councils across our region. These machines given accurate and almost instant read outs of water quality without waiting for samples to be sent to labs. We continue to engagewith community groups who have their own testing regimes.”