Protest over 'disgusting' river pollution

Dozens of people joined the city centre march on Saturday

Campaigners angry about “disgusting” pollution in York’s River Ouse have held a protest calling on a water firm to reduce sewage spills.

Protesters, including rowers and open water swimmers, said it was a common sight to see excrement in the river alongside dead fish.

Laura Bok, who took part in Saturday’s march, said: “It’s not good enough.”

Yorkshire Water said it was working to reduce storm overflow discharges which can enter the river.

The march through the city centre included members of Extinction Rebellion, Friends of the Earth, York Environment Forum and local groups who make use of the river.

Yorkshire Water said after recent storms, storm overflows did discharge into the River Ouse

Ada Keding, a regular rower on the Ouse, said: “Sometimes it’s surprising the things that float past you.

“You don’t really want to fend off other people’s excrement which lands on your blades.”

River swimmer Kate Wilkinson said: “I always swim further upstream because I know where the sewage outlets are and I never swim when it floods because I know any time the river is high they don’t process the water properly and it just comes straight in.”

Ms Wilkinson said swimming in the river was a “lovely way to connect with nature”, but she added “we are destroying it”.

Swimmer Kate Wilkinson said the river was being destroyed

The protest comes after recent tests on flood water from a residential street near the River Ouse revealed high E. coli and sewage levels.

The water sample also showed elevated levels of ammonia and bacteria including human and animal waste, according to environmental group Round Our Way.

Yorkshire Water said that following recent storms, storm overflows, which are used to prevent sewers flooding homes and streets, did discharge into the River Ouse.

It said it acknowledged that the operation of storm overflows was an issue “customers care passionately about”, and it was investing £180m by April 2025 “to begin reducing their operation across the region”.

The company added: “Additionally, we have submitted plans to Ofwat for approval outlining a £1.3bn investment to reduce storm overflow discharges between 2025 and 2030.”

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