Sick of waterside residents ignoring the law!
Apr 26, 2011 15:31:10 GMT -1
Post by izzetafox on Apr 26, 2011 15:31:10 GMT -1
Last year I paddled a lot of miles on some beautiful rivers.
On many of the trips I saw grass cuttings floating down river, often large rafts of it. Then there were the piles of cuttings or weeds just left on the bankside to either slowly fall into the river or to decompose and the and fluids produced flow into the river.
Many of the chemicals spread on lawns or used to kill weeds, along with the effluent from decomposition has a deoxygenating effect on water, allong with other negatives.
Last week whilst paddling the Avon at Stratford I saw it all over again so, being an ageing pedant I thought I would do something.
A little research showed what I thought...they are committing an offence!!
The Water Resources Act of 1991, sections 85 & 90 cover it.
I now have laminated copies which I carry on my yak with me. Yesterday on the Avon again I paddled up the river and saw a steady trail of cuttings.....ultimately I came to one of the £1,000,000+ houses and the owner was cutting the BIG lawn and sure enough a pile of cuttings was falling down the bank into the river.
I called the owner over and told him of the offence and gave him a copy. I asked him if he cared about the welfare of the fish in the river. He just shrugged.
I did not have my camera but in future I shall be taking pictures and pass them to the EA.
They are very wealthy people who have a duty to preserve the river they are privileged to live beside.
The legislation I have copied is below:
Water Resources Act 1991
Part III Control of Pollution of Water Resources
85 Offences of polluting controlled waters.
(1)A person contravenes this section if he causes or knowingly permits any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter or any solid waste matter to enter any controlled waters.
90 Offences in connection with deposits and vegetation in rivers.
(2)A person shall be guilty of an offence under this section if, without the consent of the [F1Agency], he—
(a)causes or permits a substantial amount of vegetation to be cut or uprooted in any inland freshwaters, or to be cut or uprooted so near to any such waters that it falls into them; and
(b)fails to take all reasonable steps to remove the vegetation from those waters
On many of the trips I saw grass cuttings floating down river, often large rafts of it. Then there were the piles of cuttings or weeds just left on the bankside to either slowly fall into the river or to decompose and the and fluids produced flow into the river.
Many of the chemicals spread on lawns or used to kill weeds, along with the effluent from decomposition has a deoxygenating effect on water, allong with other negatives.
Last week whilst paddling the Avon at Stratford I saw it all over again so, being an ageing pedant I thought I would do something.
A little research showed what I thought...they are committing an offence!!
The Water Resources Act of 1991, sections 85 & 90 cover it.
I now have laminated copies which I carry on my yak with me. Yesterday on the Avon again I paddled up the river and saw a steady trail of cuttings.....ultimately I came to one of the £1,000,000+ houses and the owner was cutting the BIG lawn and sure enough a pile of cuttings was falling down the bank into the river.
I called the owner over and told him of the offence and gave him a copy. I asked him if he cared about the welfare of the fish in the river. He just shrugged.
I did not have my camera but in future I shall be taking pictures and pass them to the EA.
They are very wealthy people who have a duty to preserve the river they are privileged to live beside.
The legislation I have copied is below:
Water Resources Act 1991
Part III Control of Pollution of Water Resources
85 Offences of polluting controlled waters.
(1)A person contravenes this section if he causes or knowingly permits any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter or any solid waste matter to enter any controlled waters.
90 Offences in connection with deposits and vegetation in rivers.
(2)A person shall be guilty of an offence under this section if, without the consent of the [F1Agency], he—
(a)causes or permits a substantial amount of vegetation to be cut or uprooted in any inland freshwaters, or to be cut or uprooted so near to any such waters that it falls into them; and
(b)fails to take all reasonable steps to remove the vegetation from those waters
