UK River Report #17: Efforts to Rejuvenate the River Erme, Hampshire's Struggling Chalk Stream, and Leaky Pipes; Leaky Laws
- Federico White
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Welcome back dear reader to the seventeenth installment of the UK River Report. In this month's post, I shall discuss the afforestation efforts and campaigning work being carried out to help manage the health and water quality of the River Erme, the irresponsible and unsustainable actions of green lane enthusiasts toward Hampshire's River Meon and what is being done to safeguard our precious chalk streams, and the failings of water companies presiding over leaky infrastructure as the government finally wise up to their abuse of legislative loopholes. Lastly, a brief point on Channel 4's new docudrama and why you ought to watch it.
Restoring the River Erme:
In 2024, Coastguards Beach on the River Erme, south Devon, was recognised as a designated water bathing site, however; testing undertaken by the Environment Agency in 2024 and 2025 since concluded the water was not safe for swimmers [1, 2]. To address this glaring contradiction, 16,000 trees comprising 30 different mostly native species are to be planted across farmland near Holbeton as part of England's Community Forests project, funded by Defra [1, 3]. This ought to help slow and filter runoff from the land during heavy rain [1].
However, pollution from agricultural runoff is but one of several factors of concern; the release of raw sewage from storm water overflows managed by South West Water remains an issue, with pressure from local campaign group Wild About The River Erme (WATER) to improve current sewer infrastructure, given at least three overflows in Holbeton, Modbury and Ivybridge discharge into the Erme [1].
To raise awareness of the pollution of our waterways and raise necessary funds to support the work of WATER to restore the health of the Erme and its catchment, Deputy Chair and Farming Lead John Mildway-White will run a 400-mile ultramarathon from the mouth of the Erme to
London [4]. I urge readers to donate to the Run for the Rivers fundraiser, if you are in a position to do so. Equally, you can support John and WATER on social media, including Facebook and Instagram, on indeed via their website:
Chalk stream contention:
Chalk streams are one of the rarest habitats globally, supporting a diversity of aquatic flora and fauna [5, 6]. The fact that 85% of all chalk streams are found in the UK ought to evoke a great sense of honour and pride [6]. I therefore find it absurd that a 200-metre length of the River Meon in Hampshire remains legally classed as an unclassified road, with the chalk stream's destruction wrought by green lane enthusiasts [5].
In 2023, Hampshire County Council commissioned an Aquatic Ecology Report which concluded that vehicles driven through the Meon were having a demonstrably negative impact on biodiversity, recommending the closure of the stream [5]. Yet, after nearly two-and-a-half-years, it remains open and continues to be frequented by 4x4s and scrambler bikes [5]. Although the South Downs National Park Authority have decided to keep their hands clean, citing their responsibility to 'conserve and enhance the wildlife' and 'promote access and enjoyment' — no matter how unsustainable it seems — there remains some hope for chalk streams such as the River Meon [5].
Pippa Heylings, Liberal Democrat MP for South Cambridgeshire, has recently introduced a bill to Parliament to have our chalk streams recognised as a Natural World Heritage Site, to better protect these precious habitats [7, 8]. A very promising endeavour — if even just to improve public awareness of chalk streams — and one that ought to be supported. However, ultimately, people must be educated on their use of and means of accessing nature, so that we may all continue to freely enjoy the benefits provided by chalks streams.
Leaks and loopholes:
Outdated, underfunded infrastructure has come to define the quality of service offered by water companies, driving the pollution of our waterways and ever-increasing water bills. The issue of leaks within the network resulting from continued maintenance failures is not a remarkable revelation, but rather the direct result of privatisation siphoning off capital to company shareholders and bloated exec pay packets [9].
Naturally, water companies such as Northumbrian Water are unable to find fault in themselves. Instead, disruption is blamed on freezing temperatures — a hallmark of UK winters — with around 300 issues across north-east England in a single week [9]. Similarly, Yorkshire Water have suggested residents at Anchor Point in Sheffield are responsible for their water bills rising by approximately 60% in the last 10 years, having thus far refused to install individual water metres as this would only help identify the multiple leaks that are likely plaguing the apartment block [10].
The all-inclusive failings of water companies across the UK come as the government have finally caught up with their flagrant disregard of the Water (Special Measures) Act in 2025, which banned performance-related bonuses to executives presiding over failing companies [11]. Despite this, payments have since still been made, either relabelled as non-performance related bonuses or 'retention payments', or paid indirectly through linked companies [11]. The law is to be clarified to address these loopholes as part of a new water bill expected to be announced in May, but the fact the government believed water companies would act according to the 'spirit of the law', and not just the letter, demonstrates their naivety toward regulating the activities of companies that, as Feargal Sharkey rightly put: 'have always tested the limits of the law' [11].
Dirty Business:
In other news, I urge readers to watch Channel 4's Dirty Business; a new docudrama detailing the devastating impacts of our sewage-polluted waters and efforts led by ordinary people to hold water companies to account, and something I hope will invigorate public demands for the government to do better [12-14].
Our voices united will make all the difference.
Thank you for taking the time to read this month's issue of the UK River Report. I hope you found it informative. If you would like to get involved and raise awareness of river pollution in your area, please head over to the UK River Report website and check under the 'Get Involved' page to complete our survey, or feel free to get in touch via the 'Contact' page, if you feel you have more to discuss than the survey can offer.
With hope for the future,
Federico
References:
1. Morris J. Huge Tree‑Planting Project Aims to Clean Up River. BBC; 2026. [cited 2026 February 20]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4gpgdvw7vo
2. BBC. Five New Bathing Sites on River Dart and River Erme in Devon. BBC; 2024. [cited 2026 February 20]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-69000485
3. England’s Community Forests. England’s Community Forests. England’s Community Forests; [no year available]. [cited 2026 February 21]. Available from: https://englandscommunityforests.org.uk
4. WATER. Run for the Rivers – a WATER Fundraiser Like no Other – March 2026. WATER; 2025. [cited 2026 February 21]. Available from: https://ermeriver.org/run-for-the-rivers-a-water-fundraiser-like-no-other-march-2026/
5. Cuthill J. The Rare Chalk Stream 4x4s Can Legally Use for Fun. BBC; 2026. [cited 2026 February 22]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gr1jx2453o
6. The Wildlife Trusts. Chalk Rivers. The Wildlife Trusts; [no year available]. [cited 2026 February 22]. Available from: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/habitats/freshwater/chalk-rivers
7. Jackson T, Dexter A. MP to Introduce Bill to Protect UK Chalk Streams. BBC; 2026. [cited 2026 February 23]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98q94n915yo
8. Pippa Heylings. Chalk Streams (UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site). UK Parliament; 2026. [cited 2026 February 26]. Available from: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-02-25/debates/DCFFEDDC-1287-42EB-B6F8-C435A24ADACA/ChalkStreams(UNESCONaturalWorldHeritageSite)
9. Manning J. Water Firm Blames Freezing Weather for 300 Leaks. BBC; 2026. [cited 2026 February 24]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8x9wnkpxrqo
10. Ashton L. 'We want to know why our water use has gone up by 60% since 2015'. BBC; 2026. [cited 2026 February 24]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg8rr0wyy8o
11. Horton H, Jolly J. Water Bosses in England Exploiting Bonus Loophole Face Crackdown. The Guardian; 2026. [cited 2026 February 24]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/08/water-bosses-england-bonus-loophole-crackdown
12. Channel 4. Dirty Business. Channel 4; 2026. [cited 2026 February 27]. Available from: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/dirty-business
13. Gudge E. The Campaigners Who Inspired Dirty Business Drama. BBC; 2026. [cited 2026 February 27]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c309z18e47no
14. Moore A. The Death of Heather Preen: How an Eight-Year-Old Lost Her Life Amid Sewage Crisis. The Guardian; 2026. [cited 2026 February 27]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/18/the-death-of-heather-preen-how-eight-year-old-lost-her-life-amid-uk-sewage-crisis
Another great read, thank you. What we need is collaboration between all the individual local groups that are campaining to save their rivers and the sea and together we can all apply greater pressure and raised awareness.
I for one have just cancelled my direct debit to Southern Water and am now minded to only pay for the 'water used' part of the bill and to refuse to pay the 'sewage/waste water' part as this waste is just pumped out to sea or dumped in rivers it appears while my payments which have just been increased by 100% are dished out to shareholders and the overpaid CEO Lawrence Gosden.