Environment Agency to conduct major pollution study

The Environment Agency of England and Wales has announced it will conduct a major new study into bacterial pollution that is harming the UK's waterways.

It will start the research process on October 17th and will be scrutinising sea water in Cumbria, Merseyside and Lancashire.

A team of contractors will also cover 1,100 km of rivers and streams to see if sewers, drains or septic tanks are having a damaging impact on the environment.

The Environment Agency is keen to ensure that the 31 coastal bathing areas in the regions specified are not having their water quality affected by pollution.

"This survey will allow us to identify smaller sources of pollution that, although small in themselves, as a whole can negatively impact the north-west's bathing water quality," commented project manager Sam Billington.

Members of the group may be looking carefully for evidence of leaked mining waste, after the organisation suggested last month that this had caused the water in the River Neath to turn bright orange.

Posted by Joseph Hutton