London MEP delivers Thames sewage petition to European Parliament

1.09.32pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 27th May 2005

Sarah Ludford MEP delivering petition to Mr Marcin Libicki, chair of petitions committee

London Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford, is this week delivering her European Parliament petition calling for an end to massive raw sewage discharges polluting the River Thames in breach of European law.

Latest Environment Agency estimates, uncovered by Sarah Ludford's team, now show that last year discharges totalled 57.4 million cubic metres[1], which is almost three times more than had previously estimated as average yearly discharges.

She said: "I'm disgusted that the British government continues to stall on the necessary action to tackle this. The longer this situation is prolonged, the worse it will get."

"The government's own expert advisory group[2] has repeatedly advised that a 20-mile interceptor tunnel taking storm water safely out to the mouth of the river is the preferred solution to the problem. But the government keeps delaying with calls for further clarification. Enough is enough; Londoners are fed up with a stinking river full of dead fish!"

The discharges happen when heavy rain floods the drains, since there is no separation in London between storm water and sewage, both going into the Victorian sewers. As a result the polluted quality of Thames water is in breach of the EU Urban Waste Water Directive, with unpleasant effects for residents, walkers, and river users such as canoeists.

Baroness Ludford's European Parliamentary action[3] steps up the EU pressure on the government to resolve the problem. The River Thames Society has made a complaint to the European Commission, which has sent a 'letter of formal notice' to the government, the first step in possible proceedings for infringement of EU law. The matter could end up at the European Court of Justice.

Baroness Ludford has also this week submitted two written questions on this matter to government in the House of Lords, in her capacity as a peer[4].

ENDS

Notes:

[1] According to latest figures from the Environment Agency

[2] The Thames Tideway Strategic Study Steering Group, which brings together representatives of Thames Water, the Environment Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Greater London Authority. The Office for Water Services (Ofwat) has maintained an observer status.

[3] While the petition has been delivered it is still open for signatures on this website. See the 'sign our petition for a cleaner Thames' section on the left-hand side menu. Full text of the petition:

"The River Thames has highly dangerous levels of e.coli and other harmful bacteria, due to large raw sewage discharges from overflows and effluent discharges from sewage plants.

The quality of Thames water is well below EU standards, is in breach of the EU Urban Waste Water Directive, and is causing harm to river users, local residents, marine life and the image of London and the Thames.

The government is refusing to acknowledge the problem and is failing to take action to ensure the water provider Thames Water installs an 'Interceptor tunnel', despite a major study by the Thames Tideway Strategic Study Steering Group indicating that this is the preferred long-term solution to the problem.

While this stalling persists, the situation is getting worse.

On behalf of Londoners, the petition requests the European Parliament to:

• investigate the discharge of millions of tons of raw sewage into the River Thames

• determine responsibility for a breach of EU water quality laws

• secure the installation of all the treatment facilities needed."

[4] House of Lords questions:

The Baroness Ludford—To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to raw sewage discharges into the Thames, whether the condition of water in the Thames breaches the European Union Urban Waste Water Directive. (HL174)

The Baroness Ludford—To ask Her Majesty's Government whether an interceptor tunnel is the best long-term solution to the Thames' water condition; and whether they will take steps to ensure its installation. (HL175)