Thames21

Please see Thames21's response to Defra's news Water (Special Measures Bill) news. “The introduction of this new Water (Special Measures) Bill from the government is very welcome news. Along with other river trusts and campaigners, Thames21 have been advocating for years for the government to give the regulators more powers to take tougher action on water companies that pollute our rivers. Allowing the Environment Agency to issue fines more quickly without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations is very welcome.    “Yet, we call on the government to make the fines more severe to deter water companies from polluting our waterways.  “In fact, the regulators have always had powers to hold water companies to account. For instance, the Environment Agency already has powers to recover costs to ensure water companies bear the cost of enforcement action.  “Strengthening the power of the Environment Agency will help to improve the consistency in its regulator and enforcement functions. We understand that real progress has been made since February in expanding its staff and increasing its inspections since the start of the year. “We also understand that there have always been variations in enforcement between the different regions of the Environment Agency. Yet, a consistent and ‘central’ approach will be key in tackling pollution. To date, pollution incidents and enforcement has been defined by its ecological impact – usually fish kills*. “If guidance on enforcement is still based on solely on ecological impact, then little will be done about pollution incidents in areas which have historically been affected by significant and regular pollution issues. "To restore these rivers a new enforcement system which includes ecological impact of pollution but also takes into account the baseline ecology of the river and why it may not be reaching government targets is needed. “Elsewhere, introducing independent monitoring of every sewage of outlet with water companies required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows is a step in the right direction.  “Nevertheless, although we welcome the government’s decision for a ‘three-staged’ approach to look at wider water sector reform, we do urge them to look at more measures to ensure that water companies invest at the scale and pace that is needed.  “We also urge the government to set more ambitious and immediate targets for greater investment in sewerage infrastructure and promote nature-based solutions such as wetlands and rain gardens to help restore river health for wildlife and for people.  “We look forward to seeing more detail on how the government intends to transform the water sector to increase the resilience of water supply, tackle pollution and improve rivers.” More details here: https://lnkd.in/ehd2h2bu

It's back to school for many this week. It reminds us that it's never too late to learn something new or get involved in doing something positive for your local environment. We are always getting new volunteers to help us to transform the River Thames and its tributaries. Our volunteers are at the heart of what we do at Thames21. They dedicate their time to helping us improve London’s waterways, putting in many hours of hard work to make river restoration, citizen science, and data projects thrive. We can't thank them enough. As part of our Volunteer Spotlight series, we spoke to Emma Powell, who’s been volunteering with us for a few years now and runs Castle Point Clean Up Crew in Essex. She’s a hard-working and dedicated litter-picker and assisted Thames21 on the Building Resilience in Flood Disadvantaged Communities (BRIC) project. Read full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eEFDtkMM

We had a great team get together to celebrate the end of the summer at our Bow office by the River Lea on Friday. It's hard to believe we have gone past half way through the year and we are in autumn already. We have already achieved a lot so far by working collaboratively as a team with our volunteers and partners. We are working hard with our volunteers and partners to improve the River Thames and its tributaries. Live in the local community and want to help us? Please join us at one of our exciting community events. More details here: https://lnkd.in/gMDvKnjv #riverthames #tributaries #rivers #community #volunteers #Bow

We are working in partnership with housing association Peabody, NGO CABI, and the Environment Agency to develop an innovative strategy for managing floating pennywort in Thamesmead’s canals in south-east London. Floating pennywort is a non-native invasive plant to the UK, which can grow very rapidly and form large mats over water bodies. This poses a problem for wildlife and can deplete oxygen levels in the water. This plant also disrupts recreational activities and increases the risk of flooding. The humble weevil has been viewed as a solution to the problem. After a decade of rigorous safety testing, South American weevils (Listronotus elongatus) which feed only on floating pennywort have been approved for field release in England to manage the spread of this plant and minimise its adverse effects on watercourses, benefiting both human users and the wildlife dependent on these waterways. The adult weevils primarily target the leaves of floating pennywort for sustenance, while the females lay eggs within the plant's stalks. The larvae subsequently bore into the stems, damaging the structure of the plant and hindering its spread. This approach aims to integrate physical removal and biological control, enhanced by community outreach efforts. Read more about the project here: https://lnkd.in/eA8QZPjh #biodiversity #rivers #water #weevils

Citizen science is an important tool in environmental and conservation projects and is a key part of what we do at Thames21. Our citizen scientists help us collect data and contribute to scientific knowledge, supporting informed decision-making regarding restoration initiatives and policy change. The Rivers Trust wrote an informative article about different citizen science programmes across the UK. One of them is Thames21’s EMPOWER Rivers, which focuses on water quality monitoring in London’s rivers. 👩🔬🧪👨🔬 Through this project, we’ve been supplying citizen scientists with training and equipment to survey riverflies and measure ammonia and phosphate levels in the river. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/dWB9Ka7X and join us as a citizen scientist! #thames21 #empowerrivers #citizenscience #volunteer #waterquality #riverrestoration

A unique outdoor experience awaits! Book a Canoe Litter Pick, cleaning up London’s waterways with your colleagues through #corporatevolunteering. We're now taking bookings for October. Quick quick, get in touch today: https://lnkd.in/e4z8T3Qw

This is a fantastic video. Thanks to King's College London's Randa Kachef for interviewing us. Great appearance by Thames21's Chloe Houseman in this documentary.

The River Thames running through London has borne witness to centuries of human history. But sewage pollution threatens its waters and the life within it. Watch this short documentary by Dr Randa Kachef, Lecturer in Geography, sharing the stories of Londoners, including Thames21 monitoring officers, who are doing their bit to tackle the issue. Watch the full video: https://lnkd.in/g-n_97Ea This effort is part of Dr Kachef's 'Thirst' research project to monitor sewage pollution in the Thames using low-cost sensors, also involving Michael Chadwick, Kristofer Chan, Kate Olde and Nathan Oo. Learn more about it: https://lnkd.in/gTD5eeYK

You can't have healthy people and wildlife without healthy rivers! We will be joining River Action UK the The Rivers Trust, Surfers Against Sewage and a growing coalition of NGOs, community groups and other #riverchampions at the clean march for water protest in London on 26th October. We want clean and healthy rivers, free from all forms of pollution. Join us! Read our Five Year Plan to find out more about our mission for clean and healthy rivers. Please click link here: https://lnkd.in/eiJAp-n3

Hooray! A new season is on the way and it’s time to book your #employeeengagement for autumn. Get your wellies on and get active through river restoration work for #healthyrivers. Get in touch today to find out more about a Corporate Team Day. https://lnkd.in/e4z8T3Qw