REPORTING POLLUTION
Reporting pollution in your local rivers is an important part in helping to protect and conserve the rivers in Essex and Suffolk for other people and for wildlife.
If you spot any pollution in the river, or even a potential risk to the water environment, then you can report it by contacting the relevant organisation listed below. If possible, have the following information to hand: -
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What you’ve seen – description e.g. colour and smell, length of watercourse impacted and any wildlife affected
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Photos
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Location – key landmarks, and is it near or flowing towards a watercourse. You can also use the what3words app.
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Date and time it was first seen
SEWER POLLUTION
Discharges from pipes and septic tanks.
> Report to the Environment Agency via their 25/7 hotline 0800 80 70 60
> Contact the sewerage provider for the area. The sewerage provider is either Anglian Water or Thames Water. Contact Anglian Water on 03457 145 145 or use their online form. Contact Thames Water on 0800 316 9800
DIFFUSE POLLUTION
Overland soil run-off from damaged road verges, arable and livestock fields, drainage ditches, field drains and pipes, spoil heaps and manure and land spreading (arable and livestock).
> Report to the Environment Agency via their 25/7 hotline 0800 80 70 60
INDUSTRIAL OR URBAN POLLUTION
From construction works, building sites, industrial effluent, urban sediment and surface run-off.
> Report to the Environment Agency via their 25/7 hotline 0800 80 70 60
> Report to the construction company if contact details are visible at the site entrance.