The River Pang, a Berkshire chalk stream identified by Thames Water for a flagship restoration project, has been rated “poor” for water quality by the Environment Agency.
Figures released on Thursday showed that the River Pang also failed an Environment Agency test for hazardous substances.
Thames Water launched the Pang Flagship Chalk Stream Partnership in 2022, with plans to deliver river restoration measures between 2025 and 2035.
The water company said it had invested £875,000 in the partnership. It added that river water quality is affected by several factors, including farming, industry, road runoff and increasingly extreme weather.
Thames Water said tackling the threats facing the River Pang and other chalk streams required a coordinated approach.
Chalk streams are rare and biodiverse habitats. Of the estimated 260 chalk rivers worldwide, 85% are located in the UK.
Ash Smith, who has spent a decade campaigning against pollution in Britain’s waterways, said: “We need a complete overhaul of the way the water industry is allowed to pollute for profit.
“I don’t think you can blame the weather for polluting a river, can you? In any respect whatsoever.
“Chalk streams are a precious resource, but it’s not just chalk streams—it’s every other kind of river.”
He added: “If you treat a river with respect, it is healthy and beautiful, and it will support the plant and fish life associated with that type of water.”
However, Mr Smith said that when waterways become polluted, “you’re going to get the situation you’re in now”.
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “Chalk streams such as the River Pang are a valuable natural resource that the Environment Agency is working hard to restore and protect.”
The agency said the “key driver” behind the decline in the number and variety of fish in the River Pang was “barriers to fish movement” between the Thames and the Pang.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk