UP-STREAM:
Back in May, the Wildlife Trusts were asking questions:
Are our river protections failing? – The Sid
When it comes to the quality of the water along the River Sid, however, it seems that the number of ‘discharges’ are not causing too much concern:
Testing The Water In Local Rivers & Tributaries – Sid Valley Biodiversity Group
The SVBG has been working with the citizen science organisation, the WRT, to keep an eye on water quality:
Westcountry CSI – Westcountry Rivers Trust
AT THE HAM:
Nevertheless, it seems that barely a week goes by without some spillage being reported:
SWW regularly in the news – The Sid
This report is from today:
AFTER last week’s sewage discharge scandals, water companies including South West Water are facing the strictest targets on sewage pollution ever under a new government plan to tackle sewage discharges in our waters.
South West Water facing strict targets on sewage pollution | middevonadvertiser.co.uk
And this is from last week – on the SVBG social media pages:
Two weeks ago, there were indeed discharges at the Ham in Sidmouth:
Two sewer overflows are located at Sidmouth, one discharges through a long sea outfall some 600m out to sea while the other discharges into the River Sid, just under 400m to the east.
How clean are Sidmouth’s bathing waters? – Vision Group for Sidmouth
SWW has promising to clean things up:
The company says its plan will “dramatically reduce our use of storm overflows, maintain our region’s excellent bathing water quality standards all year round and reduce and then remove our impact on river water quality by 2030.”
Swimmers warned to stay out of the water at five Devon beaches – Devon Live