This river is DYING | Water Company vs Lake District River

Something is destroying this river. How bad is it? Make sure you watch to the end...
We have been studying the rivers that feed into Windermere with our partners at WildFish to determine how impactful sewage is to the freshwater ecology of the Lake District National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As of today, we are now live with our first annual report, studying the abundance and diversity of invertebrates (insects) at 6 key river sites, with data collected and analysed by independent expert entomologists Dr Nick Everall and Dr Sam Green.
Some of the results are truly shocking.
In this short video, we highlight our stark findings from Wilfin Beck in October of 2023… But the nightmare doesn’t stop there - read the full report at www.savewinder... and make sure to subscribe for more updates very soon.
#viral #fish #film #nationalpark #campaign #wildlife #nature

[@EmmettGlynn]

Good on you Matt - hold these Utility Companies to account - they have ignored their infrastructure for too long - this sewage has to be fully treated before entering our streams and rivers

[@nathanwalter1]

You are doing such amazing work. The harsh reality is that across the country our rivers are being poisoned by sewage. The water companies are choking the life out of our waterways. The EA have simply failed to stop the environmental vandalism. This incredible work highlights the real impact pollution has on the invertebrates and the knock on effects on the entire food chain. Well done and keep it up.

[@rovcom]

Absolutely disgusting act of vandalism

[@birdie1585]

The WHOLE of the UK sewerage system was built on this principle well over 100 years ago. Aerobically treated sewge (which is water plus nutrients, NOT sewage), is chanelled to a natural water course. However the sytems were built so as to cope with "normal" sewage flows, and that has continued until today. The real problem comes from the fact that storm and foul flows have been the same system until very recent years - only comparatively new housing developments have seperate foul and storm systems, which mean that they send only foul drainage to the treatment works. What look like huge bomb craters on the edge of new housing developments are storm water ponds. To "fix" the old system, would cost trillions upon trillions of pounds. There are 3 options - seperate all storm and foul flows from all properties, provide storage somewhere for all the excess flow when there is rain so that it can be treated slowly within the limits of existing systems, or increase the size of treatment works, and how they work, to handle maximum flows at times of heavy rains. That outfall of what is treated water for 90+% of the time has been there a VERY long time, so this video is very highly misleading and also very dishonest in what it implies. It is functioning as intended - all you have to do is increase the local water rates by 600% to avoid storm water overloading the system, or insist that all the locals, incluiding the council who own run-off from roads, to completely re-lay all their drains. Oh that life was even remorely as simple as this sort of nonsense portrays.

[@lindawa4809]

Unbelievable glad you shared this

[@ParcelOfRogue]

My heart sinks when, as an angler, I see those pipes going into rivers and even tiny streams. I saw the small River Glyme polluted. A brown sheen on the top, the mud along the banks absolutely stank to high heaven , as a regular happening. Needless to say, the fishing has gone.

[@davidcunningham2074]

well done Matt. we need more like you.

[@GoneFeralUK]

Go on Matt! Great work as always 👊 xx

[@stevefrost5284]

why are the Environment Agency not aware of this and why aren't they doing something about it?

[@chrisrandall5116]

They do know, but it's the same old story as always.......back handers!!

[@hardwork371]

The managers from the EA go to work for the water companies, and the managers from the water companies go to jobs at the EA and so we have poacher turned gamekeeper and gamekeeper turned poacher. Plus this Corrupt Tory Government stripped the EA of funds over the years and in return receives huge donations from the directors of the water companies. It's the same for all environmental protection agencies, to allow big business to make millions and pay the Tories in return.

[@Nick_80599]

Because of Tory cuts, since 2010 the Environment agency has seen heavy cuts to the point there isn't enough people to investigate

[@TheKARMMARK]

Great video. I will share this on Facebook. Great work.

[@dominiclester3232]

Another excellent and clear video 👏👏👏👏 Thank you for doing all this 🙏

[@jordanadam4693]

You're amazing. Thankyou for everything you're doing.

[@KatharineCooke]

A very telling video and botha pleasure to watch (your commitment and agility and a lovely beck) and horrifying, at the same time.

[@katharinebarrett4929]

This is horrifying , something must be done to save the river .

[@tonyburgum]

Well Done Matt. I will share this on FB, X and Instagram. Hope it helps son.

[@wilhelmreich8929]

Hi Matt! Thank you for your, and your team's amazing work! Would you be able to team-up with the local business owners and put the UU and EPA on notice, that the water pollution is negatively affecting environment and their business (less tourists) which then you will be charging them £££££££££££ for it! Once they will fill immediate threat to their pockets than they will not do much - they just protect their profits! :/ They should be made accountable for their actions! The director/manager of the local treatment plant as well as his bosses at the HQ! Good Luck! Irek

[@53supermojo]

Good report. I would have thought this problem could be addressed by the WC by improving the treatment the CSO infrastructure. Constructing or providing a storage Tank would help , dependent on the amount of volumes required. Not that I'm an expert on these matters. Also by improving ( reducing ) the waste water requirements of the Villages that feed into this system. Hope this helps Regards GP

[@johncall4827]

Great video Matt, you're a David Attenborough in the making. Keep up the pressure on United Utilities and more importantly on the Environment Agency

[@jennifertuffley-qq6xg]

Shocking.make utilities public sector again.

[@jonathanforbes4559]

Wonderful work. United Utilities are shameless realising that the Regulator is not going to hold them to account. The trouble stems further back though. Like so many areas of the public service the budgets have been cut and the pertinent area in this case is the department responsible for measuring the state of our rivers - they have been cut drastically so they are now ineffectual. That is a government responsibility.Jonathan Forbes

[@barriecheetham1138]

The outfall of the Penrith United Utilities sewage works is the same into the River Eamont and that goes into what was England's reputed best salmon & trout river, The Eden!

[@michaeledmondson5100]

Renationalise all public services. It may make them less entertaining (remember British Rail) but they would work properly and cost a hell of a lot less. Many things work better in Scotland simply because they are run as services rather than as money trees for the already rich. Those responsible for corruption at the top can then be named, shamed and kicked out of office. I know it takes time and effort but in the end the people do have a day, and those bearing ultimate responsibility are known. They are called ministers and sit on the government front benches in Parliaments, .be it in Hollyrood or in Westminster.

[@davidcunningham2074]

united utilities should be fined till it goes out of business. the money sd then be used to save windemere

[@SirBeauJangles]

Some hopefully helpful points. Are your sample collection procedures demonstrably uniformly standardised both above and below that sewage works? Unless so, your results will be scoffed at. Are you demanding the attention of MPs whose patches are local to these polluting streams? Councillors? These YT videos might get a few hundreds or thousands of angry comments but unless that translates into embarrassment to industry and politicians I regret to think that little will change. Are you sampling the water for all the pollutants that could be expected as being present below the sewage plant? Plus oxygen levels? Are you plaguing the EPA with your results? Much if this is elementary and most likely you are doing these things, but just in case you aren't - especially with MPs and councillors - I'd be *annoying the hell* out of those until they started listening,

[@JanMorristheadminmaven]

Keep fighting the money grabbing swines.

[@tamzinmole530]

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