One in five homes polluting rivers

Up to one in five homes and businesses in the UK are carrying dirty water into rivers and lakes, according to new research from the Environment Agency (EA).

Faulty or illegal connections are being blamed for the problem, which is revealed in the agency's report The Unseen Threat to Water Quality. It claims that in some cases, entire housing and industrial estates have been incorrectly connected to the drainage system, sending dirty water into surface water drains.

The EA is calling for the introduction of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) into new homes to resolve the issue. Tricia Henton, director of environment protection for the EA, says: "SUDS can reduce and intercept pollution by slowing down rainfall run-off in soakaways, permeable surfaces, ponds and wetlands. They also help clean water before it drains into rivers or groundwater."

The report also assesses the effect diffuse pollution has on rivers, lakes, ground water, estuaries and coastal water in England and Wales. Diffuse pollution occurs when chemicals disperse onto land or water and can include poor drainage from housing, accidental chemical spills and run-off from roads contaminated with oil.

Find out more at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/geho0207bzlvee_1773088.pdf

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