Our Rivers Are In Danger
Rivers are the natural arteries of the country. They are home to some of England's most iconic species, like water voles, salmon, trout, otters and kingfishers. They cycle nutrients and help protect us from flooding. They also provide beautiful spaces for recreation and reflection. But a chemical cocktail of sewage, agricultural waste, plastic and chemicals is polluting rivers. Only 14% of all the rivers in England can currently claim to have good ecological status
.In October 2020, the Chair of our committee introduced a bill in Parliament. The bill proposed to make water companies ensure that untreated sewage is not released into rivers and other inland waters like canals and lakes. Our committee then started investigating the water quality of our rivers, launching an inquiry that December. We soon realised that the health of our rivers is about more than just sewage pollution.
https://ukparliament.shorthandstories.com/river-water-quality/index.html