Pollution campaign: All they want is a River Nidd that is clean and safe for people to enjoy

Having mushroomed into an all-party issue, the recently-formed Nidd Action Group is to hold a “Cleaner Nidd, Fit for Life” community ‘drop-in’ event on Tuesday, March 14.

Organisers regard the event at Gracious Street (COGS) Methodist Church Hall in Knaresborough as a conversation with the public on how they use the Nidd in the Harrogate district and what they would like to see happen to safeguard water quality.

A spokesperson for Nidd Action Group said: "It all started when fly fishermen on the Nidd noticed a deterioration in the water clarity and looked a little deeper into the likely causes.

"They were astounded to discover just how much sewage was being pumped into the river.

"They called together a meeting of other interested parties, including local councillors, politicians, concerned citizens and the Environment Agency, and invited Yorkshire Water to explain what they intended to do about cleaning up the Nidd."

With concerns over water quality in the Nidd, home to a variety of wildlife, yet to be addressed at a national level by a government criticised regularly for the poor state of the UK's rivers, campaigners decided to take action into their own hands.

Describing themselves as a “diverse set of individuals and groups who care about our river,” Nidd Action Group was formed.

The volunteers received a boost when Harrogate and Knaresborough Andrew Jones joined the likes of Hannah Gostlow, Lib Dem member for Knaresborough Scriven Park on Harrogate Borough Council, and members of Knaresborough Town Council in launching a bid to achieve Bathing Water Status for the Nidd as a first step towards addressing pollution problems.

The Cleaner Nidd, Fit for Life event will feature short talks by University of Leeds academics and research students about the issues affecting the river; what Bathing Water Status would entail; and the efforts of Nidd Action Group.

The new push in the Harrogate district to address issues affecting the River Nidd follow comments last week in the House of Commons by MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee who claimed raw sewage and microplastics were putting health and nature at risk in the UK’s rivers.

There were also claims by Peter Hammond, a retired professor of computational biology, that recent statistics showed the water industry was flouting poor regulation by the Environment Agency.

He calculated that together seven companies - Southern Water, South West Water, Thames Water, United Utilities, Wessex Water, Yorkshire Water and Welsh Water - had discharged untreated sewage from 59 treatment works that treat 4.5 million people's wastewater.

Water companies are allowed to discharge untreated sewage into rivers in exceptional circumstances - for example during heavy rainfall.

Water UK, which represents the water companies, said all the water companies agreed there was an ''urgent need for action to tackle the harm caused to the environment by overflows".

BBC News reported that an Environment Agency spokesperson said where there was evidence of non-compliance, it would “not hesitate to pursue the water companies concerned, and take appropriate action".

Presentations at the Cleaner Nidd, Fit for Life event in Knaresborough will be repeated hourly at 3.30pm, 4.30pm, 5.30pm and 6pm.

More information: www.niddactiongroup.org