Our CEO Dr Laurence Couldrick shares his thoughts on the recent Channel 4 programme, Dirty Business
If you haven’t watched it already, Channel 4’s mini-series docu-drama – Dirty Business is recommended.
It highlights the chronic failures within our water system, where companies have been able to decide whether to invest in infrastructure (not helped by OFWAT wanting to keep bills low) or pay dividends to shareholders, as well as self-monitor their actions, rather than be monitored by the regulator. In this situation illegal, immoral and amoral activities can proliferate. Whilst it is an understandably and intentionally emotive programme it highlights how power can corrupt by reducing accountability and fostering self interest over the common good.
As Westcountry Rivers Trust we have been protecting and monitoring our rivers over the years and have lived this, reported this, and, where we can, acted on this through nature based solutions. However, it is still only part of the story surrounding our complex rivers. Whether it be from direct raw discharges of sewage, combined storm overflows or from pollutants like flea treatment pesticides and pharmaceuticals passing through the sewage works into the final treated water, these issues are part of an even bigger systemic failure. One which the Trust has always tried to understand, articulate and deliver action at a catchment scale. At this level these chronic, heavy hitting point sources of pollution are joined by the myriad of diffuse – death by a thousand cuts – pressures where soils, nutrients, pesticides, oils, metals, micro plastics and forever chemicals make their way into our rivers from our farms, our roads, our mines, our towns and yes, even our homes. Clearly we can’t generalise all of these sources and we see as many people doing the right thing as those doing wrong.
I am certainly not defending the water companies nor the Environment Agency for their failures which can and will be addressed, but within both organisations there are good passionate people, and if we want to fix the wider collective pressures we must work together. Yes, we have to deal with the illegal, immoral and amoral, but also move on to collaboratively delivery of a resilient catchment that supports free flowing clean rivers with abundant wildlife.
This vision is not a pipe dream, but rather the reality of what society will have to deliver if we are to manage the impacts of climate change. Addressing the current problems, so we have a farming system that supports as much water and biodiversity protection as it does food provision, and a water, sewerage and housing system that is fit for the future is critical.
To build these visions you not only need the people willing to tear down the bad. You also need those able to bring together the good. But it all starts by taking a hard look at ourselves, our systems and not hiding behind the status quo, afraid to dream that things can change. Because they can, and with your help they will.
