A walk along the River Roding is an exhilarating experience.
The emerald flash of a kingfisher heading downstream, a buzzard drifting overhead and maybe an otter passing through.
The Roding is the third biggest river in London. It begins out in Essex wending its way to Redbridge, then onto Barking Creek and out into the Thames.
It is a major waterway, with the potential to become one of the London Mayor’s swimmable rivers over the next decade.
The biodiversity potential is huge.
The river is loved by local people.
Volunteers from the River Roding Trust work to bring the river back to its former glory. Recently, they did some work on a stretch near Woodford, creating wildlife habitats, planting willow trees and picking up endless litter.
Yet all of this is threatened by the negligence of those charged with custody of the river.
A citizens scientist study undertaken supported by Thames 21 and the River Roding Trust, between May and September last year, found dangerous levels of E coli and intestinal enterococci.
There are nine combined sewer outflows, which discharged untreated sewage for 316 hours over the surveyed period.
Recently, Paul Powesland, founder of the River Roding Trust, discovered oil dumped in the river. Detritus also runs off the roads polluting the river.
One outfall at the Aldersbrook tributary is severely impacting water quality in Ilford – with E coli spikes of 19 times safe limits in the centre of Ilford.
Powesland discovered this outflow four years ago – yet still, Thames Water has done nothing about it.
And here is the nub of the problem – a private company that puts shareholder dividends ahead of public service provision relating to our waterways. Add to that, the problem of an under-resourced Environment Agency.
There needs to vigorous enforcement against those who would destroy the waterways.
The London Mayor, local politicians and regulatory agencies need to step up for the River Roding before it is too late.
- Paul Donovan is Labour councillor for Wanstead Village ward, Redbridge Council and a blogger (paulfdonovan.blogspot.com).
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