Danny Chambers MP walks the Upper Itchen River. Challenges Southern Water to take action

Danny Chambers MP, joined farmers and riparian river keepers from the Winchester Downs Cluster and the Environmental Farmers Group on a river walk this Tuesday (01/10/2024) to find ways to clean up our rivers.

Danny heard from the experts who raised concerns over the lack of action from Southern Water to monitor pollution in the Upper Itchen. Despite the chalk streams passing through agricultural areas and close to population centres like New Alresford, Southern Water appear to have avoided or delayed installing phosphate strippers or any significant monitoring of pollution levels.

Current regulations only require water companies to monitor river pollution near population centres of over 10,000 people. At ~5500 people, New Alresford falls below this number, but local experts say this is enough to cause major environmental problems, particularly in chalk streams, for which there are no additional measures or regulations.

Danny stated “It is absolutely essential that Southern Water works constructively with farmers and river keepers to monitor our precious chalk stream and help fund measures to maintain water quality and protect our natural environment. Southern Water customers are being asked to pay higher and higher bills and not seeing appropriate investment in cleaner water. That needs to change.”

Danny will be joining Liberal Democrat colleagues in Westminster on 8th October for a debate on sewage discharge in rivers and chalk streams and is asking local residents affected by the issue to share their stories and views.