Speaking on a visit to Windermere, Environment Secretary Steve Reed said the government would work with local authorities, environmental groups and the water company United Utilities to eliminate all discharges into Lake Windermere and to ensure that “only rainwater” can enter it.
Last year it was revealed that the water company serving England’s largest lake repeatedly and illegally discharged raw sewage into it over the span of three years. Reed spoke on BBC Breakfast, saying it is "wholly unacceptable that this lake was allowed to be contaminated with so much pollution - more than 140M litres.”
Currently, no details have been provided on how the discharges will be stopped, but it will likely require a newer, substantial system of sewage pipes to take wastewater and sewage away. How much this will cost is still unclear, but it is expected to be in the hundreds of millions of pounds.
As part of the government’s efforts, Reed and Water Minister Emma Hardy have paid a visit to Windermere as part of their “Things Can Only Get Cleaner” tour on Monday the 10th of March. The aim of this was not only to showcase the government’s interest in improving water quality, but also to see how this aids local economic growth through new housing projects and jobs.
Meanwhile, a coalition of environmental groups, regulatory agencies, and local councils have launched a feasibility study, exploring solutions to eliminate sewage discharges permanently. Organisations involved are the Environment Agency, Ofwat, Save Windermere, and the Lake District National Park Authority.
Although United Utilities and other investors plan to invest £200M in stricter treatments, the cleanup will ultimately be financed by private customer bills. Prices are set to rise by about 32% above the inflation rate.
Debates over water safety have intensified, and Reed admitted that the lake will not be ready for swimming by summer. Managing director of Windermere Lake Cruises, Nigel Wilkinson, refuted this and warned that the minister’s comments are potentially damaging the local economy – events like the ‘Windermere Great Swim’ attract thousands of participants every year.
Windermere is a part of the Lake District National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. As a home to 14,000 residents and around seven million annual visitors, it generates £750M for the local economy. With mounting public pressure, action is needed to protect the future of England’s largest lake.