E. coli in River Trent reaches 'shocking' levels as campaigners brand pollution 'a danger to public health'
LBC has gained exclusive access to ongoing water quality testing, with data revealing 'shocking' numbers of bacteria downstream of a storm overflow on the Trent.
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In this first round of tests, 100ml samples were taken both upstream and downstream of the overflow near Burton-on-Trent.
The downstream sample contained 36,600 E. coli cells, nearly 70 times more than found upstream and more than 40 times the maximum E. coli allowed for inland bathing.
The laboratory which provided the testing kits and analysed the samples, Mercian Science, has warned entering the water at the site of the testing could result in serious illness or worse.
General Manager Lauren Cresswell told LBC the scale of the difference between the samples taken upstream and downstream of the overflow could not be explained by natural conditions alone, suggesting sewage from the pipe is the cause.
“I was shocked how clearly there was such a change in that kind of above and below.
“It’s a very significant jump, something that you would have to attribute to something. It couldn't just be environment.”
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“If you were to bathe in the water, or fall in, you're looking at vomiting, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis.”
E. coli infections can be more serious, sometimes leading to kidney failure, sepsis, blood clots, and even death.
John Anderson from the Burton Trent Partnership went out with LBC to take the water samples.
He says: “The results are shocking, nothing other than shocking. The water quality above the outlet is not great, but below it is absolutely dreadful. There's only one place that all those extra coliforms and E Coli are coming from and that is out of that overflow.
“So we'll be doing more tests in the same location and tests in other places as well. But as a first test result, I think the only word is shocking and I'm going to keep saying the word because it is shocking to think that that is the way that we treat our environment, the way that we treat our river.”
River users, including a local canoe club, have reported cases of people falling ill after spending time on or around the Trent.
There have also been reports of dogs being unwell after swimming in the river.
The Trent is home to various fish species such as salmon, eels, and trout.
It also supports other river creatures like otters, frogs and kingfishers.
There are fears among campaigners and conservationists that these animals could be at risk from pollution, after sturgeon and burbot have both become extinct in the Trent.
These were the results of the testing:
E. coli
Upstream: Would be rated “Good” for inland bathing, with 548 detected.
Downstream: 36,600, more than 40 times over the acceptable threshold of 900.
Intestinal enterococci
Intestinal enterococci is a sign of faecal contamination. It can cause serious infection, including sepsis, endocarditis, and meningitis.
Upstream: Would be rated “Excellent” for inland bathing, with 90 colony-forming units per 100ml of water detected.
Downstream: 3,500, more than 10 times over the maximum acceptable limit of 330.
Responding to the results, an Environment Agency spokesperson told LBC: "We routinely inspect storm overflows and monitor water companies for breaches of environmental permits.
"We have not found any breaches from Severn Trent owned assets within the Burton area of the River Trent.
"We take our role in protecting people and the environment very seriously and won’t hesitate to take enforcement action where necessary.”
LBC also shared the data with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
A Defra spokesperson said: “The government has put down the building blocks to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.
“We are rebuilding the water network through one of the largest infrastructure projects in this country’s history with a record £104 billion investment to upgrade crumbling pipes and halve sewage spills by 2030.
“We will also create a new, powerful regulator responsible for the entire water sector – abolishing Ofwat and bringing together the water functions from four different regulators into one.”