Marlborough: Sewage spill forces children to abandon river trip

School children were forced to abandon a day trip to study river ecosystems after heavy rain left a Wiltshire waterway flooded with sewage.

Charity Action for the River Kennet (ARK) discovered untreated sewage flowing into the river at three points in Marlborough on Tuesday morning.

The organisation was due to host pupils from Preshute and Great Bedwyn primary schools but had to call it off.

It was not safe for the children to enter the river downstream.

Sewage detritus was clearly visible in the water, ARK said.

The sewage overflow was coming from the Marlborough Sewage Treatment works, the pumping station at Pewsey Road Bridge and the sewer at Stonebridge Lane.

Thames Water said it was investing in works to reduce the need for untreated discharges, including an upgrade in Marlborough.

Anna Forbes of ARK said: “It was so disappointing not to be able to show the children the wildlife that lives in the Kennet, but we can’t invite children into an environment that we know is polluted with untreated human waste.”

Kathryn Bengtsson, a teacher at Great Bedwyn primary school, told BBC West that Year 4 pupils would no longer get their river trip as it takes months to organise.

“It is just so sad for the children to see the realities of the world we live in,” she said.

“What are children – who are our future – learning when Thames Water can legitimately do what they did yesterday, which is pump raw sewage into a river which is absolutely stunning and beautiful and full of living things.”

The year group is now writing letters to their MP Danny Kruger calling for action on sewage pollution.

Charlotte Hitchmough, ARK’s director said: “The sewerage network is not fit for purpose, summer storms are not unusual, and treatment works and sewers should have capacity to manage expected rainfall.”

She added: “We need Thames Water to raise its game, and we need the planning authorities to stop allowing development until we are able to deal with the sewage we have, not keep adding to the load.”

Thames Water said: “Taking action to improve the health of rivers is a key focus for us and we have planned investment in our local sewage treatment works to reduce the need for untreated discharges, including an upgrade at our Marlborough site which is due to complete in 2025.

“We regard all discharge of untreated sewage is unacceptable, and it’s understandable why the public are demanding more from water companies to do better,” the spokesperson added.

The company plans to invest £1.6bn in its sewage treatment works over the next two years, and has a target of reducing the total duration of discharges across London and the Thames Valley by 2030.

Within sensitive catchments, the target is an 80% reduction of discharges.

It added stopping discharged altogether would take time and sustained investment but each step was “a move in the right direction”.