No-one will be surprised that the #watercrisis has worsened during a period when the #EnvironmentalAgency reduced its compliance visits by nearly half.

On one level this is merely the latest aspect of the #Tories defunding of the #publicsector, while it also reflects a belief in the agency that meaningful inspections can be desk-based... the evidence in the water (as it were) contradicts that assessment.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/02/environment-agency-england-water-use-inspections-rivers-aquifers

Data released today by Defra & the Environmental Agency reveal that raw sewage was dumped into rivers & coastal areas by private water companies 301,091 times in 2022. This amounts to 1.75 million hours or >800 sewage dumps every single day!!!

#defra #environmentalagency #rawsewage #privatewatercompanies

"River Lea Oil Disaster ▶ We call for effective environmental protection for our waterways."

Open letter and online petition created and signed by:

Lea Boaters Collective; Thames21; The Green Party; The Swan Sanctuary; London Waterkeeper; NBTA London; Residential Boat Owners’ Association;
Moo Canoes; Alfred le Roy; Save Lea Marshes; Lea Rowing Club

SIGN THE PETITION
https://www.change.org/p/river-lea-oil-disaster-we-demand-effective-environmental-protection-for-our-waterways?utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_signer_receipt&utm_campaign=triggered&j=274350&sfmc_sub=20692584&l=32_HTML&u=49716580&mid=7233052&jb=393579

#oilspill #environmentaldisaster #london #uk #canalandrivertrust #environmentalagency