Norfolk Broads among worst-hit national parks for sewage.

According to a new research, more than 90% of the Norfolk Broads’ rivers are in “failing” health.

The findings were revealed in a research by the Campaign for National Parks (CNP), which evaluated the state of national park waterways across the country.

It discovered that pollution inside the protected region is twice as terrible as outside, on a national scale. The Norfolk Broads experienced the second-highest average number of sewage spills from storm overflows, with 768 hours per outfall.

Dartmoor was the most severely damaged site, with 792 hours, followed by the South Downs with 767 hours.

Campaigners have labelled the findings “scandalous” and urged the government to do more to protect some of the country’s most valuable waterways.

The Broads on a clear day, viewed from Horning looking towards Wroxham and Hoveton Great Broad (Image: Mike Page).

WHAT ARE THE FINDINGS?

The report evaluated the condition of rivers in all of the UK’s National Parks. The Broads, Britain’s largest protected wetland, is designated as a national park with enhanced navigational management rights.

According to the CNP study, only six percent of the 18 river catchment bodies in the Broads are in “good” condition.

Views from How Hill, gazing across the River Ant (Image via Newsquest) According to experts, 94.4 percent of people are in “failing” health, with 83.3 percent in “moderate” health and 11.1 percent in “poor” condition.

Pollution in the Broads is caused by a variety of factors, but agriculture and the management of rural land are the most serious.

Furthermore, the UK’s most biodiverse marsh is located in the bottom of catchments. This implies it is more likely to include contaminants from land, towns, and the city of Norwich upstream.

The River Wensum in Norwich(Image: Denise Bradley)

Storm overflows are another source of pollution, as they allow water companies to release wastewater from their sewage system in order to protect properties from floods during harsh weather.

The nine combined sewage spills in the Broads spilt for an average of 768.39 hours, the second highest figure among all UK national parks.

While the river health assessment identified serious difficulties, the health of the Broads’ waterways has improved dramatically since the 1980s, when hazy water became a major problem due to pollution, particularly in the River Bure.

A spokeswoman for the Broads Authority, which maintains the waterways but lacks legal authority to combat pollution, said: “It is, of course, quite upsetting to read these figures on pollution and water quality in the Broads.

“The challenges facing the Broads area are complex and include factors such as intensive agriculture, sewage systems and the proximity of our waterways to urban settlements.”

The warning sign ‘Warning Outfall Structure Keep Out’ is visible on the River Ant just upstream from Ludham Bridge in Knacker’s Wood. (Image: Denise Bradley) Anglian Water has announced that it will invest £1 billion to combat storm spills in the region.

It claims that persistently high groundwater levels, along with record-breaking rains in recent years, have compounded difficulties with water infiltration into its sewage systems.

A spokesman stated, “We recognise the strong feelings surrounding storm spills and are investing more than ever to decrease storm overflow spills and pollutions while also restoring river health.

“We understand that customers expect us to take immediate action to stop storm overflow discharges.

We want to meet these expectations, and our most recent business strategy is designed to handle the highest priority overflows as quickly as possible.”

‘A DISGRACE’

Dr Rose O’Neill, chief executive of the CNP, described the results as “scandalous”. It has prompted calls for the government to reform water regulations and increase investment in pollution-reduction programs. Dr.

Mark Collins, director of the Broads Society, observed, “The Rivers at Risk report calls into question the reputation of England’s most important protected wetland, the Broads.

How can the habitat of a quarter of our most threatened species, which live in and around 200 miles of lakes and rivers, be dirtier than any other National Park’s waterways?

“The Broads draw millions of visitors who enjoy walking, cycling, boating, and birdwatching. They pay their dues and, like the local economy that welcomes them, are entitled to healthier waters.

Mark Collins, Chairman of the Broads Society (Image: Matthew Chapple) “Duties under the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023 require national and local governments, water companies, and regulators to protect and promote public use of the Broads.”

It’s unfortunate that these agreements are being flaunted and disrespected. Georgia Waye-Barker, communications manager at Norfolk Rivers Trust, added: “With the most critical overhaul of water policy in decades already underway, we’re pushing the government to take bold, decisive action.

“That means tougher standards, binding targets and stronger legal duties for regulators and water companies — backed by bans on toxic chemicals and clear deadlines to end storm overflows.” “We also need serious catchment-scale investment to tackle agricultural, urban and road run-off pollution.”

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