Pollution fears as 'giant clumps of foam' spotted on River Severn in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury water testers have issued a stark warning after huge rafts of bubbling foam were spotted floating on the River Severn, which a local campaign group believes is a sign of dangerous levels of pollution.
Campaign group Up Sewage Creek, which has been testing stretches of the river as it runs through Shrewsbury, believes the foam is not a natural occurrence but is instead the result of high phosphate levels.
Warren Hastings from the group said, "We were disappointed again to see giant clumps of foam floating down the river beyond the weir last week after the heavy rain. They were so big that people mistook them for swans!"
Shocking Test Results
According to Mr Hastings, the group immediately tested both the river water and local tap water. The results were alarming. Under the Water Framework Directive 2000, the permitted amount of phosphate in drinking water is between 0.5 and 1mg/l. However, on 17 September, samples from a local tap showed levels at 15mg/l, while the river sample was at a shocking 30mg/l. This figure increased to 50mg/l the following day.
"These figures are really worrying because high phosphate levels are toxic not just for wildlife, but also for human health—causing kidney, liver, and neurological problems. The foam is a warning sign that something is going badly wrong," Mr Hastings added.
High phosphate levels can be caused by a number of factors, including sewage releases, muck spreading on farms, and the discharge of "grey water" from domestic and commercial premises. Controversially, water companies also use phosphate to prevent lead pipes from contaminating tap water as they wait to replace them.
Concerns for Wildlife and Human Health
Up Sewage Creek says they are now able to raise the alarm about these pollution events that might otherwise go unnoticed. Mr Hastings called on water companies to act, stating they have "a moral and legal duty to ensure that both our drinking water and our river is safe from pollution." He also called on politicians to hold the companies to account "instead of cutting back on regulation."
The group reports that the public has also noticed the impact of these pollution events on local wildlife. "We have been talking to local anglers who are catching chub and barbel with large tumours growing on them," said Mr Hastings.
With salmon due to appear near the weir soon, the pollution could also affect them. "If that is what this toxic soup is doing to fish, I shudder to think what the impact on human health is," Mr Hastings concluded. "We need clean water in our river and our taps."
