River Test sewage discharges criticised by protestors

Discharges from a sewage treatment plant could be causing "irreversible damage" to wildlife in chalk streams, campaigners have said.

Riverkeepers and residents staged a protest at the Fullerton treatment works on the River Test in Hampshire.

They claimed sampling showed evidence of ammonia and e-coli in the river.

Southern Water said discharges of "ground water and highly diluted sewage" were due to "exceptional conditions".

The Test is an internationally-renowned chalk stream, flowing 40 miles (64 km) from near Basingstoke towards Southampton Water, and is famous for its trout and salmon fishing.

Riverkeepers, employed by landowners to maintain the fisheries and riverbanks, held a demonstration at the Fullerton plant near Andover, along with anglers, residents and conservation groups.

Martin Salter of the Angling Trust said: "They are showing huge spikes in ammonia, huge spikes in coliforms and e-coli, all of this commensurate with sewage discharges, all of this destroys invertebrates and the food chain on which fish and all life in the river depends."

Riverkeeper James Buckley said: "Our livelihoods could be at risk. If this continues it's going to damage fly life. If there's no fly life, there's no food for the fish.

"We are seeing a heavy amount of pollution come out of that pipe - we want them to stop it because at the moment the damage it is causing is nearly going to be irreversible.

"They [Southern Water] just need to update their pipes, their systems, their infrastructure - it's all outdated. They've put no investment into solving these problems."

In a statement, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust chief executive Debbie Tann said she was "deeply concerned and angered" at reports of sewage pollution on the Test.

"The Trust devotes huge amounts of time, energy and passion into protecting wonderful rivers like the Test.

"It is disheartening and, frankly, infuriating to see that good work compromised by damaging practices such as sewage pollution."

Southern Water said the discharges followed an "exceptional" period with rain run-off and very high groundwater flooding causing greater volumes of water than the facility was designed for.

Dr Nick Mills, the utility's director of environment, said any discharges were "within permitted levels".

He said: "We're using the overflow right now to prevent the catchment from backing up and people's homes from flooding.

"Groundwater is squeezing itself into both the public and private network and overwhelming the system and the overflow is effectively acting as a pressure relief valve in that network."

Southern Water said £26m had been earmarked to improve the Fullerton site's capacity by 60% to cope with growth in the area, with £12m also being spent on improving the ecological health of the river.

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