As the saying goes: “Water is Life and Life is Water”. Rivers and lakes provide the water we drink, important wildlife corridors and recreational opportunities. Wetlands provide habitats where nature can thrive, store carbon and prevent flooding downstream. Yet in recent years pollution from agricultural runoff (from fields and intensive production chicken units), industrial waste, untreated sewage, pesticides, “forever chemicals” and heavy metals have been found in many rivers, posing serious risks to wildlife and human health. The situation is becoming critical with the Wye and the Severn slowly suffocating and dying in front of our eyes. Something has to be done.

Progress towards safeguarding UK rivers for future generations is far too slow. Hopefully the new government will change the regulatory system from the top down, but we also need “grass roots” action. In Shrewsbury, campaigners Up Sewage Creek are working to turn the tide – volunteers (sometimes in poo hats!) have brought their “Poo-o-meter” to events like the Dragon Boat Festival and Folk Festival, raising public awareness of Combined Sewage Outfalls (CSO’s). The group organises local walks, talks and protests, and is currently running a crowdfunder for water testing kits so the water company can be held to account when breaches occur.

A recent win for the River Severn has come via an allied group of keen open water swimmers who achieved Bathing Water Status for part of the Severn in May. This will bring extra funding to ensure certain stretches are clean enough for humans to swim in, but ideally we need the whole river catchment to be of this standard, supporting a rich ecosystem teeming with life from source to sea.

So what can YOU do? National campaigns, championed by famous names like Feargal Sharkey and Joe Lycett, abound and there are many ways in which you can help in your own way.

• Take part in an event on World Rivers Day (22 September)

• Go on the March for Clean Water on 26 October in London.

• Join forces with Take Back Water which aims to bring about the re-nationalisation of the water industry in the UK.

  
  

 Whatever you do – do something!