Environment Agency and Wessex Water chiefs address Fordingbridge locals on River Avon’s water quality at meeting organised by Fordingbridge Greener Living and For the Love of Water CIC

HUMAN waste is the most likely cause of the “poor” state of the River Avon’s bathing water, Forest residents heard at a public meeting.

More than 40 people heard an update on the river’s water quality at the recent meeting at Avonway community centre in Fordingbridge.

Organised by Fordingbridge Greener Living and members of the FLOW (For the Love of Water) community interest company, the guest speakers at the meeting were Environment Agency area manager Jim Flory and Wessex Water’s director of infrastructure development, Matt Wheeldon.

Describing tests of River Avon’s waters in the last bathing season, a spokesperson for the meeting’s organisers said: “Jim Flory began by explaining that statutory testing is for faecal bacteria only, specifically E. coli and intestinal E. coli.

“Overall, the testing for the season has resulted in a classification of ‘poor’ water quality. The next step is for the Environment Agency to investigate the sources of the pollution and then to work on reducing it.

“They are clear that the pollution is most likely to be human sewage, the main sources of which are likely to be Salisbury and Downton; although there are small amounts from most of the villages. Private septic tanks can be a source of pollution.”

Matt Wheeldon also explained that Wessex Water deals with a “very large” Avon catchment area, with many rivers feeding into it before it gets to Fordingbridge. He said the main issue affecting sewage outflows is the high groundwater levels that can lead to sewage systems being overloaded.