Update on protecting our chalk streams

In early July, I brought together Thames Water, the Environment Agency, and Action for the River Kennet (ARK) for a virtual roundtable focused on tackling pollution, protecting our rare chalk streams, and holding water companies to account.

The Lambourn and Kennet are globally rare ecosystems, and they’re in trouble. From sewage discharges and surface water runoff to ageing infrastructure and unchecked development, we are seeing far too little progress, far too slowly.

This meeting was a chance to get everyone around the (virtual) table and demand answers, commitments, and plan for change.

Updates

It was a productive meeting and there were plenty of steps in the right direction. Thames Water shared updates on several sites, including a joint project with the Environment Agency to restore the North Brook Stream, which has seen historic pollution. They also committed to further investigation work near Northbrook Street, where I’ve received reports of possible drain misconnections.

We heard that Frilsham, one of the most polluted sites due to M4 runoff, has now been prioritised, with support from the Environment Agency to take forward a sustainable drainage proposal from ARK. But progress on this has been incredibly slow.

The Environment Agency confirmed that Thames Water’s performance in 2023 dropped to two stars, well below what we should expect. That matches what we’re seeing on the ground: constituents telling me the same issues keep recurring, with little transparency or long-term fixes.

And although Thames Water say they’re doing what they can, both they and ARK admitted that things simply aren’t getting better fast enough.

Planning and pollution

One of the starkest points raised was the ongoing failure of the planning system to protect our waterways. Developments continue to be approved without proper water infrastructure, putting even more strain on already overwhelmed systems.

We need a system that considers cumulative impact, not just site-by-site permissions.

What happens next?

I’ll be following up in Parliament and in writing. That includes:

• Calling on the Secretary of State for Transport and the Environment Agency to take responsibility for dealing with M4 runoff – local communities shouldn’t be paying the price for this.

• Requesting detailed written updates from all participants, including technical data, and timelines.

• Holding Thames Water to account for the commitments they made and ensuring they’re not just words.

  
  

Finally, I’ve scheduled a follow-up roundtable in three months' time to check on progress. This can’t be a one-off conversation. It must be a turning point.

Working together

Thank you to ARK, the Environment Agency, and Thames Water for attending, and for the residents and local groups continuing to speak up. You’re the reason this remains firmly on the agenda.