We’ve been lied to’: Feargal Sharkey and green activists to take to streets over water pollution.
21st August 2024
Feargal Sharkey says the country has been “lied to” and “fleeced” over the lack of clean water, as it was announced that green groups and sporting bodies will take to the streets in autumn to protest.
The environmental activist and singer, who has been vocal about his concerns over sewage being dumped into Britain’s waterways, will be joining the wide range of groups including River Action, Greenpeace, the Wildlife Trusts, British Rowing and British Canoeing for the march in London on 26th October.
The former Undertones frontman called out water companies for dumping sewage into Britain’s waterways and the regulator for not doing more.
“The truth is we’ve been lied to, we’ve been misled, we’ve been fleeced, we’ve been had and it’s got to stop,” Sharkey told ITV News.
His comments came as he launched a short film on social media raising awareness of the issue, and calling on the public to “flood the streets” in protest.
Actor Stephen Fry narrated the video and called for viewers to “get Britain’s water off life support”.
Sharkey cast doubt on the new government’s ability to get a handle on the crisis, telling ITV News: “I’m not sure that at the minute anyone is equipped to deal with the crisis, that’s why I’m focused on the regulator because they’re the ones with all the legal authority, they’re the ones that had responsibility for this for 35 years.
“I think what we do need right now is incisive, timely, urgent intervention and someone needs to start showing leadership – and the kind of leadership that’s determined and ambitious enough to get this fixed and get it fixed now.”
The UK has been facing a growing water quality crisis due to a multitude of factors such as ageing water infrastructure, lack of investment from water firms, a growing population, agriculture runoff and industrial pollution.
The cocktail of raw sewage, agricultural waste, chemical pollutants and plastic is presenting increasing risks to human health as well as untold damage to nature.
Sharkey said it was time for everyone to demand action from leaders as the campaigners urged members of the public to join the demonstration through central London to Parliament Square.
The March for Clean Water is timed to mark the end of the first 100 days of the Labour Government and comes days before Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first budget.
The environmental groups said they will watch closely for the government to commit finance to protect UK waters during the autumn statement on 30th October.
While the groups welcomed the introduction of a Water Bill in the King’s Speech in July, they said the proposed initiatives are not extensive enough to address the scale of the crisis.
The protesters will therefore call for Sir Keir Starmer to take immediate and decisive action by including a set of measures in the legislation that will end the pollution of Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas.
This includes a plan to address the continuous illegal dumping of raw sewage by the water companies, a full set of solutions to end all other major sources of water pollution, and reforming the regulatory system, including Ofwat and the Environment Agency, so the law can be effectively enforced against polluters.
Mr Sharkey said: “We call on the Government to end the environmental devastation being inflicted upon our rivers, lakes and seas.
“It stops here, it stops today, it stops now. End pollution, end polluting for profit.
“We call on everyone in the country who is concerned or angry at the state of our waters to join us and march.”
Charles Watson, River Action founder and chairman, said: “The initial noises coming out of our new Government regarding cleaning up our filthy waterways, while encouraging, do not nearly go far enough to deal with the scale of the problem they have inherited.
“Nothing short of wholescale reform of our failed regulatory system and comprehensive strategies to address all major sources of pollution, including sewage discharges and agricultural run-off, will suffice.”
River Action is coordinating the march in collaboration with other groups, which also include Surfers Against Sewage, the Clean Water Sports Alliance, RSPB, The Women’s Institute, Angling Trust, SOS Whitstable, Wildlife and Countryside Link, The Rivers Trust, Ilkley Clean River Group, Soil Association and Windrush Against Sewage Pollution.
Marchers are encouraged to wear blue to symbolise clean water and to bring noise, placards, puppets, posters, banners, costumes, marching bands and musical instruments.
An Environment Department (Defra) spokesperson said: “We share the public’s anger on this issue and have taken immediate steps to reverse the tide on the unacceptable destruction of our waterways.
“Our Water Bill will include new powers to ban bonuses and bring criminal charges against lawbreakers. This is just the first step in our wider reform of the sector.
“This Government will never look the other way while water companies pump record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.”
