River Wye Pollution

[Pistonbroke]

Well *they* are claiming that the phosphate levels are high up stream before Builth. Which is all rather convenient for Welsh Water because they have treatment plant down stream from Builth.

The washings from Builth Market go straight down the town drain....but don't
tell anyone

 

[Lili]

Can somebody please post a map of every site along the Wye where there is potential for sewage to be released into the river?

Sewage Map

The Rivers Trust are conservation experts with a wealth of data and expertise at our fingertips. We work with our member Trusts to make our shared vision a reality: wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all.

theriverstrust.org

This should give an interactive map if you zoom in, of treated, untreated and storm water. Click on the symbol and it gives the location.

 

[neilo]

i don't know why we farmers are so incensed......intensive poultry on that scale is factory agri business.....a world away from most of us.....cheap meat for supermarket profits.....and dairy is heading the same way

blaming sewage is all very well but i don't think ppl realise the punitive rise in water bills needed to achieve this 'clean water holy grail'

the only answer is no more sheds in that area and time to depreciate those there until they close

Most of those round here, and there are many, that have gone into chickens are family run sheep & beef farms, both for the muck and to increase income to support the next generation coming though.

Not my cup of tea, but I can certainly see why they have.

These wouldn't be anywhere near the Wye though, mostly the Severn and it's tributaries.

 

[chipchap]

Sewage Map

The Rivers Trust are conservation experts with a wealth of data and expertise at our fingertips. We work with our member Trusts to make our shared vision a reality: wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all.

theriverstrust.org

This should give an interactive map if you zoom in, of treated, untreated and storm water. Click on the symbol and it gives the location.

Thankyou.

Now this is where we all need to look to find where the phosphate is coming from.

 

[Hfd Cattle]

The reporter on BBC Midlabds today is a Farmers daughter near Hereford.I wouldn't think,for one minute,a planning application would affect the way she reported the article.
They're a good family.

Neighbours to me , correct daughter is a BBC reporter. There is a major planning application currently in but as you say it wouldn't affect the reporting.

CS is correct it was the topic in market yesterday though !

Did a bit of research and yes one of the 'more vocal' interviewees was on the planning committee but how he voted I couldn't see .....

 

[texelburger]

Sewage Map

The Rivers Trust are conservation experts with a wealth of data and expertise at our fingertips. We work with our member Trusts to make our shared vision a reality: wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all.

theriverstrust.org

This should give an interactive map if you zoom in, of treated, untreated and storm water. Click on the symbol and it gives the location.

I see you have hinterland as your location,I watched it on TV the other night .It was an old episode but a good watch,even more so when someone I know had a small part in it.Blink and you might miss him though.Local man to you,quite a character too.

 

[wanton dwarf]

As I understand it, the "High Phosphate Pollution" is there all the time

Which IMHO means it cannot be agriculture because we just don't get enough rain during late Spring, Summer & Early Autumn for it to be agriculture

It would require animal dung to be deliberately tipped into the river during those months

Only one source of pollution gets dumped into rivers 365 days a year, thats Sewage & Commercial waste

 

[wanton dwarf]

i don't know why we farmers are so incensed......intensive poultry on that scale is factory agri business.....a world away from most of us.....cheap meat for supermarket profits.....and dairy is heading the same way

blaming sewage is all very well but i don't think ppl realise the punitive rise in water bills needed to achieve this 'clean water holy grail'

the only answer is no more sheds in that area and time to depreciate those there until they close

For domestic properties all that's needed is to seperate storm water from Sewage

That reduces the amount of water reaching the plants during Winter which SHOULD mean the sewage actually gets treated rather than dumped

The reason every farmer should be concerned is because they've said Phosphate from LAND is polluting rivers ALL the time - regardless I don't want sewage, medication waste & commercial waste getting into our drinking water

 

[spin cycle]

For domestic properties all that's needed is to seperate storm water from Sewage

That reduces the amount of water reaching the plants during Winter which SHOULD mean the sewage actually gets treated rather than dumped

The reason every farmer should be concerned is because they've said Phosphate from LAND is polluting rivers ALL the time - regardless I don't want sewage, medication waste & commercial waste getting into our drinking water

I think that's easier said than done....also wouldn't water companies be entitled to say..."actually we're not taking storm water anymore' and pass responsibility back to enviro agency?

going to be expensive

if phosphate levels are high on ground thats previously had lots of chicken muck it could be a constant pollution source

I'm not exonerating water companies or blaming farmers per se but to have that large concentration of the nations poultry in such a small area madness

 

[Happy hillbily]

This is the 2022 sewage map for Wales. Bigger the circles the greater number of discharges.

I was told during my recent Nrw inspection any broken/cracked concrete must be repaired to stop pollution. My words were you are taking the Fxxxxxg p155, and it's ok for Welsh water to pump sewerage straight into the rivers. It was above their pay grade I was told

 

[wanton dwarf]

I think that's easier said than done....also wouldn't water companies be entitled to say..."actually we're not taking storm water anymore' and pass responsibility back to enviro agency?

going to be expensive

if phosphate levels are high on ground thats previously had lots of chicken muck it could be a constant pollution source

I'm not exonerating water companies or blaming farmers per se but to have that large concentration of the nations poultry in such a small area madness

Modern housing development supposedly do separate storm water, as seems correct.

As regards cost or updating existing sewers ? I don't know exactly, pretty sure existing sewers could be replaced during renewal cycles. Cost it relative to outcomes I guess.


Nothing can come off fields unless field drains are moving and/or surface runoff - in both cases that requires rain storms of a level we get in Winter not in Summer.

 

[Steevo]

For domestic properties all that's needed is to seperate storm water from Sewage

That reduces the amount of water reaching the plants during Winter which SHOULD mean the sewage actually gets treated rather than dumped

It's a good logic......

But:

a) do they need the rainwater to flush the sewage down the pipes
b) the less water in the sewage, the more concentrated it is, and so the harder they have to work to get the levels down to that required. i.e. "the solution to pollution is dilution" is working in their favour

 

[wanton dwarf]

It's a good logic......

But:

a) do they need the rainwater to flush the sewage down the pipes
b) the less water in the sewage, the more concentrated it is, and so the harder they have to work to get the levels down to that required. i.e. "the solution to pollution is dilution" is working in their favour

Current regulations are to separate storm water & sewage - now to what extent & whether pumps maserators etc have to be used I don't know

Holding ponds are also used to release water slower into the system - which we do have even on smaller developments locally.

Point B) is the quote used by the more unscrupulous who dump the sewage for sure - but theoretically the sewage should be filtered, separated & treated. Benefits water company profits not to do so though.

 

[Mwf]

Lots of information on the Wye.
The bottom graph is the Phosphate level compared to other local rivers.....

The sac status means it has a lesser allowance....what happens here will be coming to a river near you soon.

Top graphic is olsen p testing (red bits) and legacy p which we are not testing for unless you ask for a total p test when soil sampling.

 

[Mwf]

This is historic Phosphate level in the river back to 1993.

The red line was the old p limit, it has now been moved down again be legislation....
Water p level is lower in recent years than previously.
Complex game....

 

[chipchap]

Could it be that we simply don’t yet really understand what’s going on with the river Wye?

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Surely they should just test the river from mouth to source for 12 months taking samples every 1km. The results would be enlightening