Planning for the future
Respecting our rural heritage
River Test Water Quality
River Test phosphates pollution
The River Test is extremely beautiful and one of only 12 chalk streams which is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and one of only 6 which supports the Atlantic Salmon.
It is recognised as being particularly sensitive to pollution by phosphates.
Despite this, Natural England has NOT included the Test Catchment as being a phosphate sensitive catchment area, (one of only three catchments lacking this designation) .
This means that the River Test will not benefit from protection envisaged under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which requires Water Companies to treat sewage to higher standards and to allow them to continue to dump largely untreated and unmonitored sewage to the Chalk Aquifer which is currently classified as POOR standard.
These practices pose a significant future risk to the quality of the Test and to the many rural economies which rely upon it. They also prevent the sustainable development of our communities.
We respectfully request that Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee reconsider the phosphate sensitivity classification and thus correctly attribute the responsibility for Water Companies to protect this most beautiful of England’s Chalk Streams and the prosperity of the communities who rely upon it.