Tag: Rivers

Water companies made £2.8 billion of collective profits in 2020 and discharged raw sewage 400,000 times – for more than 3.1 million hours total. Shockingly, these figures are low-end estimates.

Liberal Democrats, The Sewage Briefing.

UK Conservatives seem to be caught up in a net of partygate lies like a gaggle of rotten trout, soaked in the stench of disgrace, the sewage party of neglect under the misdirection of Boris “Crime-minister” Johnson. A party that has failed to protect our rivers and waterways, and stood by as water quality regulations and waste disposal regulations are abused, leading to the current country wide outbreak of algal blooms and so loss of plant and species diversity. (See George Manbiot) If you want to see your local environment thrive vote for a Liberal Democrat or Labour representative. Read their proposed actions concerning the Stour, plus those actions already undertaken, and compare with the current gang of scoundrels and their legacy of environmental neglect. HS2, Brexit, PPE Scandals, etc.

Our rivers and seas are being transformed into open sewers by greedy business and useless governments.

George Manbiot, This Stinks.

My rhetorical questions: Where is the evidence of conservation activity to protect our local waterways? Why are we still allowing sewage and farm waste to flow into rivers and waterways? Who is responsible? How do we bring justice and protect and enforce? Where are the alternative plans for waterside developments and ecological centers, new nature reserves and wildlife habitats?

With increasing frequency, warm weather brings algal blooms. Water that should be crystal clear becomes a green or brown slop of diatoms (microscopic algae).

George Monbiot, Shitstorm.

It’s a fact that most cities and towns in the UK, and worldwide, are often named after or were settled next to a river. Stourbridge is one such town, the river Stour is one such river. There before any human settlement, and treated like a handy public waste disposal system, the river stour has paid its dues throughout the industrial revolution, right up to the present day. From washing the dye from carpets in Kidderminster to the Holloware Metal Industry of lye and the Iron Forgeries and Foundries of the Black Country. We all owe the river Stour for assisting with the local industry neatly moving our waste elsewhere.     

Rising up by the Clent Hills near St Kenelms Chapel and Well, the water is relatively clean and pollution free, yet on its way east across to Haelsown to the Dudley Metropolitan Borough it picks up waste. It weaves through the past heavy industrial area of Cradley Heath, Lye toward Stourbridge, its namesake, and on through Wollaston, Amblecote to Stourton. From my observations, the bulk of pollution comes from the remaining industrial areas, plus whatever the water authorities allow to be added from sewage outlets and pipes that feed into it. I should know, I’ve climbed up a number of them and witnessed first hand the strange liquids, foams and discoloration in the River Stour, mostly from Stambermill before the Viaduct over 20 years.

I welcome the new volunteer initiatives to clean up the river, and a healthy competition to show-off your local piece of the Stour, and which can lead to cross party support for the initiatives. Everybody benefits from a clean river, not least the fauna and flora that live in and around the river the gradual return of native species wiped out by industry and neglect over the last 200 years is a cause for optimism. But rivers need active defense units, ever vigilant of plots and schemes to undermine their value, or simply ignore them. They are the life blood of any town or city.  

From my research, the Liberal Democrat Party have by far the best plan of action to transform the river and bring highly needed criticism of the current mismanagement and neglect of the Conservative Party. Read The Sewage Briefing now.
Besides the long list, as long as the river Stour, of repeated failures of the Tory party, their lack of support and unwillingness to protect the Stour and all waterways in the UK is a single reason enough to send your vote elsewhere, either Liberal Democrat or Labour. Register to vote, use your vote, use your voice. Put pressure on those polluting the river and those who support the continued contamination of the UK water-ways, driven by profit over public interest.  

The privatised water companies, granted local monopolies on supply, extract vast dividends and salaries while investing as little as possible in pipes, sewage systems, reservoirs and pollution control. Instead of stopping leaks or discouraging overconsumption, they draw down the groundwater that feeds our rivers.

George Monbiot, Watery Grave.

The future fight to save the planet and humanity starts at home in your locality. The lasting legacy of environmental work and the re-greening of our towns and cities is a lasting legacy to be truly proud of. Your kids will respect you for it. With some imagination, furthermore our waterways can become functional family attractions, the source of food and a habitat for wildlife: fish, insects and plants. Consider Mills have previously been powered by the river too.

Why not make the environmental crisis a cross-party issue, and the demonstration of looking after it competitive, with incentives, work opportunities and a myriad of social psychological benefits. 

–Steve Fly

We will encourage communities to act for their local river and surrounding habitat, creating a legacy of engaged individuals who will help protect it long into the future. In addition, we will generate awareness of small, everyday changes which we can all make to contribute to improving the condition of the river.”

Love Your River Stour