Campaign to stop sewage pollution spreads to Ironbridge
A group of Telford and Ironbridge residents have launched a new campaign to protest against raw sewage in the River Severn.
Inspired by the success of the Up Sewage Creek group in Shrewsbury and the national Deepwater group, the Telford residents began by protesting at one of the Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in Ironbridge, where raw sewage flows into the river near Dale End. They are also holding a public meeting on 18 February.
Kevin Bundy, a spokesperson for the group says: "We’ve come to this overflow to highlight the raw sewage being pumped into the Severn on a regular basis. Ironbridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that draws a million visitors a year to stand on its historic frame and look down on the beautiful river below. Yet over two hundred years since it was built, the water companies are still filling the river it crosses with human waste. This can’t be right in 2022."
With sewage discharges into rivers and beaches soaring by around 88% in the last twelve months, the issue of sewage pollution has become a national scandal. The Ironbridge group hopes to build on public awareness and get local people involved in a campaign for change.
Bundy said: "With new housing developments and the impact of the climate crisis increasing the amount of sewage in the River Severn, it’s obvious that the water companies aren’t going to fix this problem any time soon. Local people need to force them to clean up their act. We’re fed up of the “poo-llution” that’s killing our beautiful river. Bathers, kayakers and paddle boarders all use the Severn. They need to know that the water is safe and won’t cause illness."
The group is holding a public meeting at the Coalbrookdale & Ironbridge Community Centre on 18th Feb at 7pm where residents will be invited to join the campaign to stop the sewage and discuss how to put pressure on water companies. Guest speakers will include Pete Lambert from Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Melissa Compton, the local nurse who was hospitalised after swallowing sewage during a charity swim along the Severn.
Bundy added: "We’ve seen what happens when big private companies are allowed to put their profits first without proper regulation. It’s time for residents to fight to save the Severn. If you think our river deserves to be treated as the vital part of Shropshire’s landscape rather than a massive toilet, come and join our meeting and let’s work together to find a solution."
