Diffuse Pollution
(by Mark Lloyd, Director of the Anglers Conservation Association)
Point source pollution involves single sources of damage to water quality which in themselves cause significant damage. Diffuse pollution is a more general malaise which affects the water quality of a river or a whole catchment. Examples in the Wye and Usk catchments would include: acidification of headwaters from acid rain, sediments being washed off potato fields into the River Lugg and aesthetic pollution from litter. Diffuse pollution has been described as the death of rivers by a thousand cuts, rather than from a single gunshot wound.
Diffuse pollution can be more serious than point source pollution, because it is harder to prevent and it is more difficult to identify the culprits. In fact, the people causing diffuse pollution may be unaware that they are causing a problem. Often the impact of their activity alone would not cause any significant damage, but combined with many others, they have a disastrous impact on fish and other wildlife.
What is the best solution to diffuse pollution - education? We need to make it absolutely clear to farmers, gardeners, and builders that causing even small amounts of pollution to water can contribute to the death of whole river systems. That's why the Wye &Usk Foundation spends so much time working with people whose actions can have an effect on the condition of the river. Over the last 10 years, we have advised nearly 450 land managers and given presentations to community groups with over 1,000 members. Our fencing and habitat work on the tributaries is designed to reduce the amount of sediment which ends up polluting the whole of the Wye and Usk river systems.
The Anglers' Conservation Association (ACA)
was set up in 1948 to seek compensation for its members who have been affected
by pollution and other harm to fisheries. Its work has historically focused
on point source pollution events like chemical and sewage spills which have
led to significant fish kills. However, the ACA is now keen to take on the
issue of diffuse pollution, which can kill even more fish, if a little less
dramatically. Their expert lawyers are looking into ways of taking action
against people who are contributing even in a small way to the death of rivers.
Under the Water Framework Directive, government agencies will be required
by European law to ensure that all water bodies have "good ecological
status" by 2015. Diffuse pollution is one of the main reasons why this
target is going to require all of us to take action to ensure that
our actions are not contributing to water pollution, even in a small way.
If you think that pollution of rivers is being caused, then you should
always contact the Environment Agency immediately on 0800 80 70 60.
If you would like to join the ACA, then please click here .
