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Thames E. coli Spike: Public Control Demanded
30 Jun
Summary
- E. coli levels in Thames River exceeded limits significantly.
- Thames Water confirmed an isolated spill during maintenance.
- Campaigners demand greater public control over water companies.
A campaign group is urging for increased public oversight of water companies in England, prompted by an alarming E. coli reading in the River Thames.
River Action expressed renewed concerns about Thames Water's management after Fulham Reach Boat Club detected bacteria levels exceeding the Environment Agency's threshold for suitable bathing water by over 60 times.
Thames Water acknowledged an isolated spill at Fulham Reach during planned maintenance as part of the Tideway Tunnel testing. The recorded level was 58,000 colony-forming units (cfu) per 100ml, significantly above the 900 cfu/100ml limit for inland waters.
These high readings have emerged despite the construction of the £4.6bn Tideway Tunnel, designed to mitigate sewage pollution in London. River Action highlighted that the spills occurred during dry weather, potentially violating regulations that permit sewage release only during heavy rainfall.
