Home / Environment / £3.6bn Plan to End Lake Windermere Pollution
£3.6bn Plan to End Lake Windermere Pollution
21 Oct
Summary
- A £3.6bn tunnel aims to stop sewage polluting Windermere.
- The plan could add up to £3.17 monthly to customer bills.
- Activists call it a milestone but demand definitive action.
A substantial £3.6 billion proposal has been put forth to eliminate sewage discharge into Windermere, England's largest lake.
This ambitious plan, supported by United Utilities and environmental campaigners, includes the construction of a tunnel up to 12 miles long to transport sewage away from the lake.
The current practice of discharging both raw and treated sewage into Windermere is believed to be the cause of algal blooms that have turned parts of the lake green each summer.
The proposal, named 'Only Rainwater into Windermere' (ORiW), aims to be a '100-year solution' by connecting 12,800 more people to the sewage network and building new infrastructure.
Two options are being considered for treated effluent discharge: into the River Leven or into the Irish Sea near Ulverston.
Funding discussions are ongoing, with one option suggesting customers bear the cost, potentially increasing monthly bills by up to £3.17. Another proposal advocates for national funding, given Windermere's international significance.
Activists, while calling the plan a 'milestone,' stress that definitive action to stop sewage entering the lake is crucial.
The government will now decide whether to proceed with developing these plans further.
