Toxic spill kills fish

[Angly]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7006540.stm

 

Very sad, especially as we know the culprits won't have to pay anywhere near what rectifying the situation will cost.

[Elton]

Not good. Some of the fines to businesses can be quite high, though, although this doesn't seem to deter many.

[lutra]

Not good. Some of the fines to businesses can be quite high, though, although this doesn't seem to deter many.

One of my local rivers the River Darwen gets a flush of sewage every time it rains hard as Darwens sewage works cant handle the excess top water. This has gone on for years and years as the cost of building a new sewage works that can handle the excess top water ( millions ) is far more than paying a 10k fine a few times a year. Sad really as its a very pretty river in places and Ive heard it said it was one of the best sea trout rivers in the country pre industrial revolution.

 

Maybe the threat of prison for deliberate polluting would make some of the big companies think a bit more.

[Vagabond]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7006540.stm

 

Very sad, especially as we know the culprits won't have to pay anywhere near what rectifying the situation will cost.

 

Not just money either - a lot of people have put in a lot of time and effort to clean up the River Wandle.

 

I have an early Victorian print showing "Trout Fishing at Beddington" ( ....and no, Elton, I am not the angler depicted )

[Peter Waller]

It was your son, wasn't it?

[Dick Dastardly]

Went back home to Kent for the weekend and got back for the kids to tellme about this.Trying to dig out the local paper as apparently there is some more info in it.

 

Its a great shame as the Wandle has always amazed me with its cleanlyness,clarity and high fish stocks.Much of it is controlled by either small local clubs or indeed is free fishing.So many people will now have been robbed of good fishing right on Londons doorstep.Will it ever be sorted?

[Anderoo]

Poor old Wandle, it didn't need that. Having gone from being classed as an open sewer from the industrial revolution to the early 20th C, then recently being cleaned up and restocked with all manner of fish, including brown trout, it deserves better. It's the only river of it's type in South London, and walking along its banks kept me verging on sanity when I lived in Colliers Wood! I always wanted to fish for the barbel in there, but it was a bit edgy for me, especially after dark...

 

I hope the culprits are dealt with severely.

[Dick Dastardly]

Here is some more info-

 

http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/mostpop...h_in_wandle.php

[Angly]

Well blow me down, Thames Water have put their hands up to the spill, and promised to work with other associations and agencies to rectify the situation. That's rekindled my long lost faith in humanity.

 

http://www.a-c-a.org/whatsnew.php

[Anderoo]

Another timely reminder to people to join the ACA.