Is it safe to swim in the River Roding? Thames21 is looking for citizen scientists to help test the water quality of the river between Wanstead and Loughton to find out. Agnes Hodges reports
The River Roding is London’s third-longest tributary of the Thames. It rises at Molehill Green in Essex before flowing 50km south, passing through the Wanstead and Woodford area and meeting the Thames at Barking.
The Reclaim Our Roding project is a citizen science-led investigation into the water quality of the River Roding, run by environmental charity Thames21. While awareness is growing about the threatened state of our rivers, there is currently very little data showing pollution levels in rivers such as the Roding. Meanwhile, more and more people are connecting with their local waterways and green spaces, especially as temperatures rise and people need places to cool off.
While there is some data available about the levels of ammonia and phosphate in the Roding, the evidence gap is especially prominent when it comes to levels of harmful bacteria – E. Coli and Intestinal Enterococci – which are indicators of sewage pollution. Although commonly found in the gut and intestinal tracts of humans, when water contaminated with these bacteria is ingested or allowed to enter the bloodstream through open uncovered wounds, it can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses, infections, headaches, fever and, in severe cases, kidney and organ failure. Currently, the only places in the country regularly tested by the Environment Agency are at sites that have received bathing water status from Defra.
With this project, we will train and engage citizen scientists local to the Roding in water-quality sampling. We have a number of pinpoint sampling locations – between Wanstead Park and Loughton – which are all downstream of potential pollution sources, meaning we’ll be able to better identify where further investigation and improvements would need to be made to improve water quality if it’s found to be poor. All samples will be analysed in a professional water-quality lab and tested for the bacteria linked to sewage pollution. All the results will be made publicly available and will allow us to see the impact that sewage pollution is having on the river. If you’ve got spare time this summer and could give a few hours between Monday and Thursday, we’d love to hear from you.
This water-quality monitoring programme will run weekly until the end of September, after which a technical report will be produced where bacteria levels will be correlated with rainfall and Thames Water’s sewage spills. All this will help Thames21 and our partnering community groups, stakeholders and citizen scientists answer the question: is the Roding fit to swim, paddle and play in?
A free water-quality training event will take place on 25 June from 10am to 4pm (meet at the Temple in Wanstead Park). For more information and to take part, visit wnstd.com/watertest
