A river of protesters flooded London on Sunday, November 3 in an urgent call for clean water.
This included a three-metre-tall Goddess of the River Wye, evoking the spirit of the iconic river and the ecosystems at risk.
More than 150 people from Powys, Herefordshire and the Forest of Dean joined thousands in mass protest, urging the government to end the pollution of Britain’s waterways.
The colourful Wye contingent, dressed in blue and with banners blazing, were united in their desire to see the river cleaned up so it once again becomes a place that children can play and wildlife can thrive.
The campaigners marched alongside 130 other organisations coordinated by River Action plus celebrities including Chris Packham, broadcaster and activist Carol Vorderman, actor and musician Johnny Flynn, actorJim Murray, Olympic champion rower Imogen Grant, best-selling author Robert Macfarlane, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
For many on the March such as Surfers Against Sewage, the main concern was the profiteering water companies that discharge vast volumes of sewage into our rivers and seas.
For those who set off early on Sunday morning on the three coaches from Hereford, Hay and Lydney, their target was agricultural pollution. In particular the huge amounts of chicken manure that are still spread on the land and so washes unchecked into the Wye and its tributaries.
Richard Tyler of Save the Wye said: “Water pollution is not just caused by water companies but also by American-style intensive agriculture that has proliferated along the Wye. Whilst Save the Wye welcomes moves to prevent sewage pollution, this is only a small part of the problem for the Wye.
“Multi-billion pound American companies like Cargill - and their local sidekick Avara - have poisoned the Wye for profit knowing full well what would happen. We need a Water Protection Zone to reduce all of the pollution entering the river.”
David Gillam of Save the Wye added: “The Wye is in failing health. If it was a hospital or a school it would be put in ‘special measures’ so that the right, focused efforts could be made to turn things round.
“The Government has the power to designate the Wye as a ‘Water Protection Zone’ enabling the coordinated control of pollution.”
Save the Wye is calling for:
• A Water Protection Zone for the river – an ecological version of ‘special measures’
• A Wye Recovery Fund based on the polluter pays principle
• Regulations and enforcement to be strengthened as is happening for the Waste Water Industry
• Consumers to be empowered to support river friendly farming through pricing and labelling strategies