Every Single River in. England is Polluted

Water should never have been privatised, there is absolutely no benefit to the consumer. It can be argued that the privatisation of electricity and gas gave us choice of provider, but we have no choice when it comes to the provision of clean drinking water and clean healthy waterways, a basic human right, surely?

The water companies are more concerned with paying dividends to shareholders than to the public. It is not a service industry. Thank you Mrs Thatcher.

It's appalling but of course leaving the EU allows us to trash all the environmental protections we had before Brexit!

I saw an article yesterday in the news saying that the water companies are being asked to keep at least one river clean enough for people to swim in. Either the Independent or the Guardian.

It's just occurred to me that where I live in the Cotswolds, quite a few people love to collect spring water from various springs and wells about the place. I've always eye rolled but even more so now!

Heartbreaking really. I can remember many years ago when rivers were so crystal clear that you could see little fish like stickle-backs swimming merrily and the more shallow ones you could see the bottom of the river.
So very sad to see the decimation of this planet in general and certainly seeing our local areas spoiled in this way.

Nobody cares---so long as they get rid of their rubbish they don't care where it goes. It'll impact on our drinking water if no care is taken and this laziness is allowed to continue.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-651991-img-20220106-wa0005.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-795296-img-20220106-wa0004.jpg

Yes, 25Avalon, entirely agree.
I took these photos last week on our river, just a mile or so away from where ghastly sewage discharges happen. It's totally incongruous.

I care. It's absolutely shocking.

Horrible isn’t it? Who’d go wild swimming after that report? Just as otters and beavers and fish are being reintroduced and we thought rivers were getting cleaner. All these new houses are being built without a thought for sewerage disposal etc.

The tragedy is listening to a family member spending years trying to clear up local rivers and reintroducing as much biodiversity as possible, including water voles (ratty) otters and hopefully beavers, then being utterly undermined by government legislation allowing further sewage, filth and chemicals to be poured into what was becoming something to be proud of.

I think this is one of the tragedies of the century. I am ashamed that this has been allowed to happen under our noses. Together with the government, the water companies should hang their heads in shame. What a legacy.

I care, and would like to join a campaign.
The problem is so many fold, not just Brexit, but also farming practices, water companies, individual household waste and climate change. My dogs swim daily in a river known for problems, but what can I do?