{"id":20142,"date":"2022-09-28T17:21:50","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T15:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=123051"},"modified":"2022-09-28T17:41:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T15:41:15","slug":"john-craven-can-the-oep-clean-up-our-waterways","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/john-craven-can-the-oep-clean-up-our-waterways\/","title":{"rendered":"John Craven: can the OEP clean up our waterways?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By John Craven\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 28 September 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Pollution levels that have turned most of England\u2019s rivers into dirty, dangerous sewers are, quite frankly, a national disgrace. In its first major investigation, a powerful new watchdog is questioning the roles played by the water services regulator Ofwat<\/a>, the Environment Agency<\/a> (EA) and, at the very top, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.<\/p>\n

Campaigners have long blamed the three for allowing the pollution of our waterways and now the newly formed Office for Environmental Protection<\/a> (OEP) will officially determine whether they have failed to comply with their duties, which include managing and enforcing the way water companies deal with sewage. If they are found to be at fault, the OEP will step in to tighten up the system.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe clearly do not know at this stage what our findings will be or where the investigation will take us,\u201d says Helen Venn of OEP. \u201cOur priority will be to protect and improve the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, a report revealed that only 17% of English rivers, streams and lakes were in good ecological health, compared to 53% in mainland Europe. A group of MPs concluded that a cocktail of raw sewage, slurry and microplastics was coursing through the rest, putting public health and nature at risk.<\/p>\n

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Ten of thousands of fish have been killed by pollution on the Afon Llynfi at the northern edge of the Brecon Beacons.\/Credit: Gwent Angling Trust<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The OEP\u2019s intervention is welcomed by, among other countryside groups, Salmon and Trout Conservation, which first raised the issue with the new body. \u201cWe have all the law we need to prevent water companies dumping raw sewage in our rivers,\u201d says its CEO Nick Measham. \u201cWhat we lack is a Secretary of State, an Ofwat and an EA prepared to enforce the law. We hope this investigation corrects that failure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shortly after the watchdog made its announcement, an EA annual report showed it was toughening its stance against polluting water companies, following 62 serious incidents being logged last year, the most for nearly a decade. It called the situation \u201cshocking\u201d and set about naming and shaming. Of England\u2019s nine water companies, the EA condemned the performance of two of them, Southern and South West Water, as \u201cterrible\u201d, while four others \u2013 Anglian, Thames, Wessex and Yorkshire \u2013 needed \u201csignificant improvement\u201d.<\/p>\n

We would like to see prison sentences for chief executives and board members whose companies are responsible for the most serious incidents