Colchester MP Will Quince urged to swim in 'polluted' River Colne

Activists, including Extinction Rebellion Colchester, staged a protest in Colchester High Street last month against the dumping of sewage in waterways across the country.

One campaigner, who claimed to have carried out tests in the River Colne, told the protest the water “is on the brink of becoming uninhabitable for wildlife”.

He added: “This is something which is already being noticed in the form of declining fish numbers by residents fishing within the basin of the River Colne.

“Since the beginning of my campaign, I have been contacted by residents whose dogs got seriously ill after a dip in the river.

“Having a picnic by the river, or taking a quick dip, shouldn’t be stressful and risky, but that is the bitter reality – a bitter reality we shouldn’t need to accept as the new normal.”

Extinction Rebellion Colchester in spoof blue plaque protest (Image: Newsquest)

Complaints have long been raised about the smell emanating from a sewage treatment plant at the Hythe, Colchester.

Last year, Anglian Water was fined more than £1.2million after admitting to causing pollution in Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire in 2019.

The company also admitted to failing to comply with permit conditions, as well as causing poisonous, noxious or polluting matter to enter inland fresh waters in Cambridge.

There were no incidents reported in Essex.

READ MORE: 

• Here is why Extinction Rebellion staged a protest in Colchester on Saturday
• Calls for investigations at the Hythe after £1.2m Anglian Water lawsuit

Duncan Boon, 56, said he became frustrated at a lack of engagement with Colchester MP Will Quince over the issue.

His petition calls on Mr Quince to take a dip in the Colne at the Hythe, “where most of the sewage is dumped”.

“I’ve lived in Wivenhoe for 25 years, I know lots of people who used to, until recently, swim in the Colne,” said Mr Boon.

“My wife took part in cold water swimming for mental health reasons, now she wouldn’t enter the river at all.

“I think MPs are the ones who are in a position to make important decisions on this issue.

“[Mr Quince] voted to allow water companies to release raw sewage into our rivers and seas, his swim could help allay people’s fears that it is affecting wildlife and swimmers in the river and seas.”

An amendment to the Environment Act 2021 would have placed a legal obligation on water companies not to pump waste into rivers – but it was rejected by MPs in a House of Commons vote.

A total of 265 MPs, including Mr Quince, voted in favour of passing the bill without the amendment.

Some 202 MPs voted against the bill, including Tory rebel Harwich and North Essex MP Sir Bernard Jenkin.

'I voted for sensible, costed plans to tackle this issue'

Colchester MP and health minister Will Quince (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Quince said he has no plans to swim in any river, “and certainly not at this time of year”.

He said: “Sewage discharge into our rivers is unacceptable and we are taking steps to address it.

“After this issue was last raised, I went to visit the Anglian Water, water treatment plant at The Hythe in Colchester to see the storm overflow tanks for myself and understand the issue better.

“The Government proposed and I voted for sensible, costed plans to tackle this issue - with requirements on water companies to significantly reduce storm overflows and clean up pollution.”

He added: “The Environment Act creates a power of direction for the government to direct water companies in relation to the actions in these Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans if they are not good enough.

“We will not hesitate to use this power of direction to crack down on sewage discharges.”

An Anglia Water spokesman said a number of factors could contribute to river water quality aside from storm overflows at sewage works, including rotting vegetation, privately owned sewage systems, septic tanks and runoff from roads. 

He said other factors could include the spreading of manure on surrounding land and waste from animals inhabiting the water. 

He added: “We completely accept Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) are history, particularly as our climate changes and extreme weather is more commonplace and we have a proven track record for investing in environmental protection and improvements, ever since privatisation. 

“However, until they can be eradicated, CSOs act as a necessary safety valve in old sewerage systems, to protect homes and businesses from flooding during heavy rainfall.

“We have been addressing CSOs over many years, tackling those that pose an environmental risk first, then working through the rest. 

“Between 2020 and 2025, we’re reinvesting more than £200 million to reduce storm spills across the East of England and as part of our Get River Positive commitment we’ve promised that storm overflows and our water recycling centres will not be the reason for unhealthy watercourses in our region by 2030."  

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