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How bad does this have to get? not so visible are the clogging mats of
Algae below the water surface. Newtown is only a short step away from
a total environmental breakdown when water oxygen levels drop below that
needed to sustain marine life. I wrote to the owners of Newtown creek,
the National Trust in August 2001 conveying my concern at the then noticeable
deterioration. A low key reply was received stating that they were not
unduly concerned but the Environment agency were looking into it. Surely
obvious deterioration in an area as lovely as Newtown should have had
the greatest of attention. Looking at the latest maps on NVZ areas (Nitrate
Vulnerable Zones) as shown by DEFRA, the area taking in Newtown is not
even mentioned. Defra has advised that Newtown is not considered a
Nitrate Sensitive Zone but will come up for review January 2005. Latest
correspondence from The National Trust conveys their real concern and
points out that the Environment Agency has been conducting tests for at
least two years and if any results have been reached they have not been
notified.
Eutrophication
is a world wide problem with England suffering as badly as any. However,
when the first changes of this kind to our environment were noticed, certainly
this was recorded by the Environment Agency in the early 1970's and probably
well before then, those responsible for protecting the natural environment
appear to have under estimated how serious this would get. This marine
ecological devastation has now set in and as it is rapidly increasing
each year there seems little hope of slowing, let alone reversing it.
We
know that run off from farm land, from fertilizers or animals, well fertilized
Gardens and the numerous outfalls of sewerage treatment works are the
main culprits of eutrophication, not so widely discussed is the effect
of affluent from pleasure craft. Referring to Newtown Creek most of the
known contributing factors to cause eutrophication have remained fairly
stable for many years, why then one may ask has there been such a dramatic
increase just in the last few years?
One obvious change has been the unprecedented increase in the numbers
of pleasure craft using our waters.
Newtown being no exception, not only have numbers increased but during
the last few years yachts and power craft have grown larger and correspondingly
carry many more people.
These craft have no option in Newtown but to discharge all their sewerage
directly into the harbour. A theory, not tested, has been that the regular
flushing of the water by the tide is sufficient to keep Newtown, or other
harbour's clean, in fact the nitrate pollution is not going away, this
pollution is spreading to adjoining waters, it is residing in the harbour
mud and shoreline, it continues to increase.
The
very obviously deterioration in water quality through excess nitrate/phosphate
pollution is rapidly increasing and any measures taken so far have failed
to address this problem. With sufficient funding positive answers in locating
the main sources of this devastating pollution, at Newtown or elsewhere,
are possible. It is then equally important that the findings are urgently
acted upon.
Urgent
research followed by positive action is needed to stem this pollution.
Whilst questions remain unanswered, the suggestion that pleasure craft
are contributing to the recent rapid increase in eutrophication remains
valid. Harbour masters look to pleasure craft for revenue, as do boat
builders and all those commercially interested in marine sales, but in
the long run everyone should be aware of this escalating plague now rapidly
destroying our beautiful natural harbours.
In
very many other Countries, often with a fewer concentration of craft than
this Country, Holding tanks are a legal requirement. Is it not time they
were fitted as standard here, along with all our harbour's and marina's
having modern pump out facilities?
Just look at what is happening, urgent positive action is needed now!
How bad does it have to get? To next page --
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