Our work to protect London’s rivers is based on forensic research, accurate data, and environmental law. We need funding to continue this and build on our successes. While awareness of water pollution has increased we need solutions that actually work. There is still too little accountability.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
We have discovered the regulator is failing to use the law to protect rivers in London. When it rains pollution washes off industrial estates and into rivers. The Environment Agency should be using the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 to prevent this. Rain is also the main reason sewers overflow. Thames Water says that for 25% of these spills it will use green spaces to soak up the water. However, we have learnt that in London green infrastructure will only be used at 6% of sites.
Solution
We will show the Environment Agency has failed its statutory duty & complain to the Office for Environmental Protection. We seek a ruling that the EA must use the regulations to stop polluted run-off reaching rivers. We will identify the owners of industrial estates & work with them to reduce their pollution. We have no evidence that Thames Water is developing adequate solutions for overflows. We will ask people to send our legally binding information request to hold the company to account.
