Anger in the room at River Chess meeting

Last Friday evening (30 May) a public meeting with Thames Water was called by the River Chess Association at Chesham Town Hall to discuss the ongoing problem of sewage being discharged into the river

“We now understand the problem Thames Water are facing with groundwater ingress but as yet we have no clear idea as to how they are going to fix it.” says Paul Jennings, River Chess Association Chairman.

The meeting was well attended and there was a degree of anger and frustration expressed in the room. The biggest and most immediate concern related to the need for an appropriate warning system to inform the public of the increased heath risk.

“A protocol for warning the public needs to be established. This I believe needs to involve the EA, Thames and District Councils.” stresses Paul, “Thames Water should have an obligation to immediately inform the responsible authority about these discharge incidents who should then take immediate action to warn the public of the increased risk to health.”

If blame can be identified a system of compensation to those directly affected should also be established

“Secondly, a meeting should be set up with Chiltern District Council, the EA and Thames Water to establish the growth needs, both for domestic and business requirements for sewage capacity.

Thirdly, Thames Water should outline a robust plan to resolve capacity and groundwater ingress issues and deal with growth and changing weather patterns with significant contingent head room.”

“The Chess is an important asset to the community that is delicate and rare and needs to be treated accordingly and not as an extension to the drainage and sewage system. We need our own specific Chess Chalk Stream Charter.”

Chorleywood resident Robert Mann was at the meeting

He adds…

“ People aren’t aware of the problem… last week was half term and on Thursday I saw children paddling and swimming in the River Chess at Chorleywood House Estate.

Thames Water appear unable to halt the pollution and blame the problem on the prolonged rainfall and a high water table. They have installed extra tanks to try to contain the excess but the problem still persists. A spokesman from the Environment Agency stated that Thames Water may be in breach of the regulations and they are investigating.

The ongoing pollution is not only damaging the ecology and wildlife of an internationally important chalk stream (biologists have recorded the lowest riverfly population for the month of April since recording began) – but it is also a hazard to human health – diseases such as gastroenteritis and hepatitis can be contracted.”

UPDATE 17th June 2014

River Chess Association Chairman Paul Jennings reports ” We heard from Thames Water on Tuesday (17 June). They said “the storm flows have virtually ceased. There is a small amount of weir-over into the storm tanks each day, but this is being pumped back to the works without discharging to the river.”

This is positive news for the River Chess which has been receiving sewage discharges for more than four months since early February. We calculate the amount of sewage discharged into the Chess was as great as the amount of oil spilled during the BP Macondo disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Admittedly sewage is less toxic than crude oil but on the other hand the River Chess is much smaller than the Gulf of Mexico.

Now the real work starts to ensure that this never happens again.

We would not say it is safe to get back in the water, just less dangerous, paraphrasing Jaws II.”