Sustainability Sarratt
River Chess
Barnaby Jackson has been following the issues of untreated sewage in our local river – The Chess. Just to remind everyone, the sewage problem arises from the treatment plant in Chesham which gets over whelmed with rain water, foul water and sewage from the homes and business locations in the Chesham area following heavy rain. This has got worse over the years due to the building of more houses and commercial properties which in turn does not allow rain water to be soaked up in the ground but makes its run way into drains and then into the sewage works. There is not enough space in the sewage plant to absorb these extra flows therefore they have to let it go straight into the river without any treatment. Why the sewage works can’t be expanded to cope with these extra flows I do not know but I suspect cost to be an issue. Why was this not thought of when planning permissions to build more homes and business locations were given? This problem has be around for years. It is NOT against the law for these extra flows to be allowed to flow directly into the river despite it being a health risk to everyone and our environment!!
Please see a more detailed description of this issue written by the secretary of the River Chess Association by clicking here and more News on the Association’s website here. I would urge everyone to write or send emails (The River Chess Association’s website has suggestions on what to say under “News”) to the Three Rivers councillor – Phil Williams – who has the following responsibilities on the Council – “Lead Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability and Co-Chairman of the Leisure, Environment and Community Committee and Chairman of the Chorleywood and Sarratt Local Area Forum”. His email address is phil.williams@threerivers.gov.uk
Perhaps we should ask Phil Williams to address us later this year at a public meeting to be held in the village hall. I will be pleased to organise such an event.
More on the River Chess
COVID-19 funding awarded
Angela Colman has told us that funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has been awarded to public engagement projects designed to tackle challenges caused by COVID-19. One of these projects, by the Queen Mary University of London, is called Chesswatch and involves developing an online observatory for our own River Chess.
You can find out more about the funding here
And more about the project here