WATER QUALITY PROJECT
It’s been over a year since we started the project – our aim being to assess, protect, and improve the water quality in the Wotton Brook and Exe Estuary. It’s a huge challenge given the combined pressures of climate change and increasing development, and the failure of government to properly address water quality issues. But it’s vitally important for Lympstone, and with the support of our Water Guardians, other Lympstone groups and residents, and several other organisations, we’ve made progress. We’ve gained a much better understanding of the sources and pathways of pollution, and raised awareness of the vulnerability of the Brook and Estuary. We’ve strived to get more robust assessment and management of water quality risks (by commenting on planning applications and the Local Plan, and meeting with South West Water, Devon County Council, etc.), and reported and investigated pollution incidents. Finally, and importantly, we’ve started building partnerships with people and organisations to develop local nature-based solutions (with benefits to water quality, biodiversity, and flood risk). Lympstone needs a strong catchment partnership, and this is starting to take shape.
Please join us at the Lympstone Environmental Action Day on 17th May to hear more about what we’ve done and learned, to share your opinion on possible next steps, and to consider the things that you can do to help. There will also be some hands-on water testing at the Brook, and a chance to see some of the life within it (aquatic invertebrates that are a vital link in the food chain and a good indicator of water quality).
Thanks for your support.
Lympstone Water Quality Group and Water Guardians
Contact: Sara Davies,
Tel. 07855 344386,
Email: sarabragg@aol.com
