A rower has voiced concern over ‘foul smelling’ discharge entering a busy watercourse – though this is said to be normal for the site.
James Nash, captain of the Bradford on Avon rowing club was out on the River Avon at around 9.30am on April 27, when he spotted fluid entering the water by the Wessex Water treatment works on the way to Avoncliff.
Mr Nash said: “I was out on the river coaching, and I noticed that the waste-water sewage plant was pumping into the river. There was a bad smell, lots of foam. There was a trail of foam leading down to the weir.”
The rower, who is on the water five to six days a week described what he saw as “shocking”.
The agency, however, said that the fluid entering the river is most likely treated water that is permitted at the location.
Mr Nash explained that the area of the river around the spot where he saw the fluid entering the stream is popular among swimmers, paddleboarders, and rowers, and that he was concerned about swimming in it.
Remarking on the foam he saw coming from where he saw the drainage, Mr Nash said: “I’ve swum there for years, and if I saw that, I would not be going in the river. No way.”
An Environment Agency spokesperson thanked Mr Nash for the report, but said that the water was expected to meet the standard of cleanliness, adding that they would double check.
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The spokesperson said: “The public are our eyes and ears and we act upon the intelligence we receive.
“The video appears to show discharge coming from a permitted water treatment works, which is a normal activity for this location. However, any discharge is expected to be meet the standard set in our permit and we will check that is the case.”
Wessex Water, meanwhile, said the footage appears to show the discharge point for treated effluent, otherwise known as wastewater, and that it is nothing out of the ordinary for any sewage treatment facility.
The firm added that there is a licensed storm overflow at the pumping station in Bradford on Avon but that it has not operated since 2024. They said there were no untreated discharges into the river on the date of the video.
In a statement, a Wessex Water spokesperson said: “Final effluent discharges can sometimes appear discoloured, particularly during drier weather when rivers run clearer, but our water recycling centres are continuously monitored and meet all permit conditions set by the Environment Agency (EA).
“Indeed, the Bradford on Avon site consistently outperforms EA quality limits for treated wastewater to offer enhanced protection of the River Avon.”
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