Latest news with #MattStaniek
Channel 4
20-06-2025
- General
- Channel 4
Has sewage been illegally dumped into Lake District protected site?
By Rob Windscheffel Campaigners are calling for regulators to urgently investigate whether water company United Utilities has been illegally spilling sewage into one of the UK's most protected sites. In the heart of the Lake District , Esthwaite Water was eulogised by poet William Wordsworth and was described by author Beatrix Potter as her 'favourite lake'. Today it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a RAMSAR wetland site of international importance. Following a lengthy battle, which involved the intervention of the Information Commissioner, campaign groups Save Windermere and Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP) obtained data from United Utilities about the Esthwaite Lodge Pumping Station. The pumping station has an emergency overflow which feeds into the lake and in emergencies is allowed to release sewage. That, however, doesn't include periods of heavy rain. Professor Peter Hammond analysed the data and produced a report, shared with Channel 4 News, and believes the overflow might have spilled sewage at least 20 times since 2020. If those spills weren't as a result of major failures at the pumping station and caused by heavy rain, they could be in breach of their permit. Campaigner Matt Staniek says: 'It's just been slowly putting sewage into the environment and the result of that is we're seeing this water quality decline. And then we're seeing this flow down to Windermere which obviously now goes green every summer.' United Utilities categorically deny there have been any spills from the site since 2017. They say they carried out an investigation in July 2024 and that their pear float used to detect spills 'was proven to be highly inaccurate and unreliable'. They also say their ultrasonic level monitor was set incorrectly and that 'data prior to June 2024 has been confirmed to be inaccurate and, therefore, cannot be used to confirm the occurrence of any spills'. In response to United Utilities denying the accuracy of the data and the analysis done on it, Matt Staniek has told Channel 4 News: 'We had to go through hoops to try and get the data and it was only following the intervention of the Information Commissioner that they finally released the data to us. And then the first thing they say to us is you can't trust the data. 'If the data's unreliable, why haven't they acted in the last 10 years when the alarm's been going off saying it's spilling? Have they deliberately ignored that? Or have they just not been competent enough to do their job? It's blatantly incompetence or deliberate neglect.' Professor Peter Hammond says: 'When you ask for the detailed data the water companies know you're going to find the evidence, so they say no or they take time to give you the evidence and it's been an uphill battle.' While water companies say they are increasingly more transparent, and more data is being published, campaign groups believe there is still some way to go. The Information Commissioner's Office has had to intervene 13 times in data disputes with water companies in the last year – 11 of those with United Utilities. Information Commissioner John Edwards says: 'The water industry has not been as transparent as we would like. People do not expect to swim in polluted water. People expect to have clean and transparent water. We expect to have transparent water companies. 'We've seen movement in the right direction, a greater willingness to put more information out there. What that's exposing is some data quality issues.' A United Utilities spokesperson said: 'Reports of any spills from Esthwaite pumping station are wrong and we have already provided the evidence and data that shows this. 'Transparency and customer confidence is extremely important to us and over the last year we have invested to improve our performance in this area. Last year, we issued over 16 million rows of data in response to environmental information requests and are on track to provide more than 17 million rows of data this year. 'To ensure this information is accessible to the public, we publish our responses on our website. This provides a central repository for the public to review data that has already been disclosed, and are currently meeting our target of responding to 100% of environmental information requests within the required service levels. There is always more to do and we have a plan for further improvements that will be delivered over the next 12 months.' An Ofwat spokesperson said: 'In November 2021 we announced an investigation into all wastewater companies in England and Wales, looking into how companies are operating their wastewater treatment works and networks, including spills from overflows. 'This resulted in us opening an enforcement case into United Utilities in July 2024 which is on-going. In the last three months alone, we have concluded similar cases against other water companies resulting in Ofwat confirming over £160m in a combination of penalties and enforcement settlement packages. Given this is an active investigation, we cannot comment further but welcome the information that has been shared with us.' An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'We are currently investigating a number of United Utilities' sites including those on the Esthwaite catchment. If any of these sites are found to be in breach of environmental permits or causing pollution we will take appropriate enforcement action, up to and including criminal prosecutions. 'We've modernised our approach to regulating the water sector, with more regulation and enforcement officers, better data and are on track to carry out 10,000 inspections this year, all of which is holding water companies to account more than ever before.' Watch more here: The secret sewage 'illegally' dumped into rivers and seas Record amounts of sewage dumped into English waters Water companies in England and Wales ordered to pay £158m back to customers Lake Windermere – why swimmer health could be at risk in World Heritage waters
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Windermere swimmers warned after blue-green algae found in lake
Swimmers have been told to avoid part of a popular lake after harmful blue-green algae was found in the blooms, which can make people ill if swallowed, were discovered at the Lakeside YMCA bathing area in Windermere, in the Lake campaigners said they believed it had been caused by a combination of pollution flowing into the lake and the warmer Environment Agency said blue-green algae - which can turn the water green - is "naturally occurring" and can appear across the UK, but advised people to avoid swimming in the affected area. Blue-green algae is technically not an alga but a collection of microscopic organisms known as cyanobacteria, which is naturally present in lakes and when conditions are right it can become abundant and form blooms, which can discolour the water or produce scums on its blooms can produce toxins which can cause a rash and make people ill if swallowed. It can also be dangerous to animals, such as dogs. The founder of Save Windermere, Matt Staniek, said the primary source of nutrients for blue-green algae in the lake came from sewage."When you get a combination of sewage flowing into the lake providing the nutrients, which is essentially fertiliser for algae, and nice warm weather like we've got now, that's when we're more inclined to see blue-green algae in the lake," he said."This is just going to get worse and worse with climate change." According to the Environment Agency's bathing water quality map, there are currently three areas in the Lake District swimmers are advised to Lakeside YMCA, Coniston Water Boating Centre and Derwent Water at Crow Park have all been rated poor for water Environment Agency confirmed the presence of blue-green algae in the Lakeside YMCA bathing area."As a result, the current advice is to avoid swimming in this part of the lake," a spokesperson said."Blue-green algae is a naturally occurring environmental phenomenon. It is not unique to Windermere and can appear in many water bodies across the UK, particularly during warm, calm, and dry conditions." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Times
26-04-2025
- Times
My lone battle to save Lake Windermere from sewage
The wooden bridge over Cunsey Beck appears to be extremely rickety, but Matt Staniek has been here many times before and offers reassurance. 'It looks like you can't cross it, but you can,' he says. We step into the middle and look down into the water. The beck is fed by Esthwaite Water, a protected wetland and site of special scientific interest supporting a diversity of plants and breeding birds. It is an idyllic spot sitting below Hill Top, the 17th-century farm once owned by Beatrix Potter, which is now a magnet for visitors. 'Is it any stretch of the imagination that Beatrix Potter would have walked down from her house onto the bridge and stared into Cunsey Beck when she was writing The Tale
BBC News
10-03-2025
- BBC News
Government to pledge to clean up Windermere
Environment Secretary Steve Reed is to pledge to ensure "only rainwater" enters England's largest is due to visit Windermere in Cumbria later and said the government was "committed to cleaning up this iconic lake" as part of its Plan for Change scheme, which aims to upgrade crumbling water infrastructure using private investment. Wastewater from water companies and private sewage treatment, along with rural and urban land use, are among a range of pollution issues the lake said: "Windermere is a stunningly beautiful national treasure but it's being choked by unacceptable levels of sewage pollution." Part of the Lake District National Park Unesco World Heritage Site, Windermere is home to more than 14,000 people and its scenery attracts an estimated seven million visitors per year. But in 2024 it was revealed water company United Utilities repeatedly dumped millions of litres of raw sewage illegally into the lake over a three-year period. Matt Staniek, a campaigner against sewage pollution and founder of Save Windermere, previously said Windermere was "the jewel in the crown of the Lake District National Park, and it's being used as an open sewer".Local groups and organisations - including Save Windermere, United Utilities and the Environment Agency (EA) - have set up a feasibility study to look into what is needed to eliminate sewage discharges into the lake from successful examples from around the government said a first step was to look at new methods to reduce pollution from private sewage discharges into included new treatment plants, along with schemes which would let owners of septic tanks and package treatment works ask for a connection to the mains sewer under certain conditions. Restoring 'natural beauty' As part of the scheme, United Utilities will invest £200m towards upgrading 10 wastewater treatment works at Windermere and reducing spills from storm overflows into the lake to 10 per year by 2030. The Environment Secretary said there would also be 33 additional EA specialist officers in the region and a quadrupling of water company said: "The government is committed to cleaning up this iconic lake."That is why we are working with a range of local groups and organisations to stop all sewage going into the lake and restore it to its natural beauty." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
