Gloucestershire task force aims to save 'dying' rivers

The health of Gloucestershire's rivers is under threat from various pollutants including phosphates and sewage, councillors say

A task force is being set up to improve the health of a county's waterways after high levels of pollutants were found in the River Wye.

Gloucestershire County Council said urgent action was needed along the rivers Wye, Coln and Windrush to save them from fertiliser and sewage dumps.

The council has agreed to develop a plan to tackle the water pollution.

"A dead river, just a sewage channel, is not my idea of outstanding natural beauty," a Green Party member said.

BBC analysis of Environment Agency data showed that across England 325 serious water pollution cases were recorded in the year to March 2021, up 23% on the year to March 2020.

The latest government figures, from 2019, attributed the pollution mainly to illegal waste activities such as fly-tipping, waste treatment, sewage from water companies and farming activities.

"The writing is on the wall. The River Wye is dying," the Green Party councillor Chris McFarling said.

He added: "I'm on the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty joint advisory council and I've made it very clear that if we lose the Wye, the AONB is meaningless."

The task group wants to work towards achieving bathing water status for the county's rivers

Gloucestershire County Council environment scrutiny committee members declared on Wednesday that county rivers were at great risk from agricultural practices and sewage.

The task group will aim to tackle the problem by regularly testing the levels of pollution in rivers and working on plans to improve the situation over the next six months.

Chairman of the scrutiny committee Dominic Morris said he welcomed the county council taking the issue seriously.

"Taking care of Gloucestershire's natural environment is of vital importance and the council is committed to tackling such issues.

"This task group will work to better understand and deal with river pollution in Gloucestershire, and I will fully support the group in their work," he added.