Environment

March for Clean Water

Taking place in central London, the March for Clean Water aims to highlight the state of water and demand urgent government action to address the UK’s water pollution crisis.

East Lyn River

The March for Clean Water is coordinated by River Action and Feargal Sharkey in close collaboration with Surfers Against Sewage and major charities and governing bodies including the Clean Water Sports Alliance, British Rowing, British Canoeing, Greenpeace, RSPB, The Women’s Institute, The Wildlife Trusts, Angling Trust, SOS Whitstable, Wildlife and Countryside Link, The Rivers Trust, Ilkley Clean River Group, Soil Association, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution and many local community groups from across the country.

The organisers invite the public to join in their demand of Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer: to take immediate and decisive action to end the river, lakes and seas pollution with raw sewage, agricultural waste and other chemical pollutants, that over recent years have been allowed to permeate the waterways, presenting risks to wildlife, nature and human health.

According to the organisers, whilst the introduction of a Water Bill in the King’s Speech on 17th July is welcome, the proposed initiatives to improve water quality are not nearly extensive enough to address the scale of the UK’s water pollution crisis. The prospective legislation needs to consist of a comprehensive set of measures to end all causes of water pollution, which must include:

  • a plan to address the continuous illegal dumping of raw sewage by the water companies;
  • a full set of solutions to end all other major sources of water pollution;
  • the reform of the regulatory system, including Ofwat and the Environment Agency to ensure the law can be effectively enforced against polluters

River Campaigner, Feargal Sharkey, said: “We call on the Government to end the environmental devastation being inflicted upon our rivers, lakes and seas. It stops here, it stops today, it stops now. End pollution, end polluting for profit. Government must order an urgent root and branch review of the failed oversight and regulation of the water industry. It is now time to hold to account those industries that for too long now have been allowed to knowingly and wantonly pollute our waters driven by nothing more than profit and greed. We call on everyone in the country who is concerned or angry at the state of our waters to join us and march.”

Chair and Founder of River Action, Charles Watson: “The initial noises coming out of our new government regarding cleaning up our filthy waterways, whilst encouraging, do not nearly go far enough to deal with the scale of the problem they have inherited. Nothing short of wholescale reform of our failed regulatory system and comprehensive strategies to address all major sources of pollution, including sewage discharges and agricultural run-off, will suffice. On the 26th of October the public will make this point very clear to Sir Keir Starmer in no uncertain terms.”

The march is planned to go through central London to Parliament Square on Saturday 26th October and is inclusive, accessible, step free and everyone is welcome to join. Marchers are encouraged to wear blue to symbolise clean water; to let their creativity run free and bring noise, placards, puppets, posters, banners, costumes, marching bands and musical instruments.