Concerns Over Pollution in River Isbourne
A group of Gloucestershire residents has been conducting weekly water quality tests on their local river for over a year and have expressed concern about "worryingly high" levels of phosphates and nitrates detected.
The volunteers, affiliated with the charity Winchcombe Green Town (WGT), have been monitoring four locations along their section of the 14-mile (22.5km) River Isbourne, which flows north from Cleeve Hill to the River Avon.
WGT trustee Stuart Pickles stated:
"Until now we had no water quality data. Now we have the evidence, we are calling for the Environment Agency to investigate."
The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, Severn Trent Water reported efforts to reduce storm overflow spills at Winchcombe Sewage Treatment Works.
Pickles explained that 10 volunteers manage the four testing sites and conduct weekly tests measuring phosphates, nitrates, electro-conductivity levels, and temperature, as these factors can influence results.
The testing has been ongoing for more than a year and will continue until two years of data are collected.
He added:
"The levels of both nitrates, which we believe comes from agricultural fertilisers, and also phosphates, which tends to come more from the sewage outlets, the levels are both high, worryingly high."
Pickles expressed personal concern:
"It's come as quite a bit of a shock. I live right by the river and my dog plays in there and so you sort of wonder. We always thought that it was clean enough as Winchcombe is quite close to the source of the river up on Cleeve Hill and it's not as though we're downstream of heavy industry."
Support from Winchcombe Town Council
The group has received support from Winchcombe Town Council, which funded the four water-testing kits.
Council chairman Jim Mason commented:
"The council has a statutory obligation to conserve and enhance biodiversity and this initiative supports that.
"The River Isbourne is an integral and important part of the town and we must do all we can to protect and conserve it and the wildlife and biodiversity in and around it."
Mason described the findings as:
"very disturbing"
He also noted:
"I've personally noticed a big decline in wildlife, fish and bird life in and along the river and now we know why."
Severn Trent Water Response
A spokesperson for Severn Trent Water stated that the company has invested £160 million across Gloucestershire to improve river health. They highlighted that storm overflow spills at Winchcombe Sewage Treatment Works have been reduced by nearly half between 2024 and 2025.
The spokesperson added:
"Phosphorous emissions from the Winchcombe treatment works in 2025 were less than a third of what is allowed under our Environment Agency permit."
They further noted:
"It's important to note that of the 14 reasons why the River Isbourne isn't categorised as in good health by the Environment Agency, only two are linked to Severn Trent."
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