Thanks so much to Friends of Frome for supporting the Together for Rivers campaign and to David Warburton MP for pledging support. It is brilliant to see local groups valuing their rivers and adding their voice to those asking for some action to improve them
We are sure many MPs simply are unaware of the multiple threats to our rivers as outlined in the letter from Friends of Frome which are actually relevant right across the Bristol Avon catchment and the nation as a whole. It will be incredibly telling to see the results of this vote. Either some difficult actions will begin to be discussed or the issue will be kicked into the undergrowth for another generation.
If you follow what we do and support our aims please support the Together for Rivers campaign #TogetherForRivers
Dear Mr Warburton
Thank you for meeting with us last Saturday.
We were very pleased that you stated a desire to support measures that will aim to clean up our river, including putting your name to the Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill. This is a vital Bill that will place a requirement upon the water industry to invest in upgrading antiquated drainage systems and remove raw sewage discharges into our rivers and streams. Achieving this will be a start towards achieving a key aim of the Frome River Strategy and, nationally, the aims of the Rivers Trust Together for Rivers campaign. As we discussed, we are seeking to improve water quality to a sufficient level for obtaining bathing water status. Having a clean and healthy river will allow people to interact safely with the river and help to raise its ecological quality status to ‘good’ – where it should be now.
We raised several related matters with you to take forward and you invited us to write to you outlining these and any other significant matters which you may be able to assist with:
Monitoring for indicators of livestock and human waste
Currently the onus is being placed on voluntary river bodies to develop and fund this type of monitoring, which is not routinely carried out either by the Environment Agency or water companies. This is wrong. We believe that the water companies should pay for this monitoring as they are the prime users of water as a resource. Monitoring for Faecal Indicator Organisms should be a routine and regular part of an integrated and comprehensive monitoring programme for freshwaters and which should be funded by the water companies and made public on a regular basis so we can understand the health of our river. In addition we make the observation that Environment Agency river monitoring effort has been severely depleted in recent years and is considered inadequate – a recent report from Unchecked explains this situation.
Realtime information on sewage discharges
Now that sewage discharges are monitored, it is important that the water companies let the public know when these discharges occur in real time. This is a vital public health issue and something river organisations nationally are calling for.
Inadequate enforcement of agricultural pollution regulations
The main reason our river is in a poor state is due to pollution from farming. Fields are being used as unlicensed waste dumps for slurry with deliberate spreading during winter and on waterlogged ground. It is often spread on maize fields (bare/no growing crop) in February. The Environment Agency says that, after September there is no crop requirement for agricultural nutrients until winter’s end. On some farms the slurry is also spread too close to the river where it risks being washed off quickly into ditches and watercourses when it rains. This happens all year round.
It is scandalous that the Environment Agency has failed to deal with this adequately but the ultimate blame lies with central government which has cut funding to the agency.
There is chronically poor enforcement by the Environment Agency, where infringement of the pollution regulations (The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018) have been reported via the pollution hotline to the EA. We are informed that this is associated with funding cuts and inadequate numbers of field staff plus an instruction that farmers should not be prosecuted unless a Category 1 (serious) incident is reported. Cases may not be adequately investigated and we have a recent example of a serious pollution incident where this occurred in October (we will write to you separately on this case). Inadequate investigation, coupled with poor enforcement, encourages a ‘business as usual’ attitude by many as they know that no sanctions (including no removal of Basic Farm Payment) will occur – compliance with the law is a condition of receiving BFP. We do not know where this instruction originated – whether from senior management within the EA or politicians in Government. We assume it is related to the crippling reduction in resourcing of the EA that has affected its ability in the field. Until this situation changes, our river will continue to be challenged by pollution from slurry and runoff from fields. Further evidence on the chronically poor track record of the EA on enforcement (covering all pollution aspects) was revealed in another recent report issued by Unchecked in 2020. Since we spoke to you, we now have further information concerning EA resourcing in our area and we append this at the end of our letter. The EA may have received more funding this year, but it’s capability to effectively manage agricultural pollution in the south-west remains seriously undermined. Finally, the EA has failed to adequately publicise the agricultural pollution regulations to farmers – this needs to change.
Revealing the names of pollution perpetrators
If someone is charged with a murder, their name is usually made available to the press. If someone is charged with a pollution offence, their name is kept secret until they are prosecuted. This is wrong. We would appreciate understanding why this situation prevails – who has decided that this information should not be made public, and why, and how this could be changed in the public interest.
Some good news
Finally, for information, there are several funded projects underway, that started in September and operating above Frome. Two officers employed by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West are offering advice on improving farm infrastructure and land management practices, and identifying locations for natural flood management interventions as part of the Wallbridge NFM project. The latter aims to reduce flood risk in the Wallbridge area near Asda. There is also a new farmer-landowner group set up as a Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Group, also coordinated by FWAG SW.
We look forward to working with you more closely in the future and appreciate your support and understanding in the matters we have raised with you.
With best wishes
Mike Bull (Chair) (07841 502929) and Sue Everett (07779 204015)
Friends of the Somerset River Frome
Environment Agency staffing (agricultural pollution investigation and enforcement)
Within the Wessex Region Agriculture Environment Officer team there are just under 5 FTE (full time equivalents) to cover the Wessex area as shown on the map below in blue: 2 x 1 FTE, 2 x 65% FTE, 3 x 50% FTE. There is a larger number of Environment Officers, approximately 18 x Land & Water Environment officers and 18 x Regulated Industry (Waste) Environment Officers who can respond to any pollution incidents. It is the Agricultural team who would follow up any specific agricultural pollution incidents.
Friends of the Somerset River Frome
Working together to improve the quality of our local river for people, nature and the wider environment
E: improvethesomersetfrome@gmail.com
W: http://friendsoftheriverfrome.co.uk/
Facebook: friends of the somerset river frome
Frome River Strategy: friendsoftheriverfrome.co.uk/river-strategy/
Friends of the Somerset River Frome
Working together to improve the quality of our local river for people, nature and the wider environment
E: improvethesomersetfrome@gmail.com
W: http://friendsoftheriverfrome.co.uk/
Facebook: friends of the somerset river frome
Frome River Strategy: friendsoftheriverfrome.co.uk/river-strategy/
