The Roding sees some of the highest numbers of sewage discharges in London after the Thames, which “severely compromises its environmental and recreational value”, an agreed council motion said.
Thames Water, the UK’s largest private water company, is responsible for supplying water to 16million people across Greater London. It is also responsible for removing wastewater, such as sewage.
Recent monitoring by Thames21 and the River Roding Trust revealed unsafe levels of e.coli and intestinal enterococci bacteria, which councillors say sometimes exceeded safe limits by more than 20 times.
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The motion, put forward by Labour and also backed by the Conservatives, claimed it was “likely due to unauthorised sewage discharge by Thames Water”.
The most severe contamination was detected by an unpermitted discharge into the Alders Brook tributary, which the motion said was “significantly impacting the water quality in Ilford”.
Councillors called on the company to “prioritise and expedite remedial work” on discharges in Redbridge and “ensure adequate funding is allocated to address this urgent environmental issue”.
The motion was presented to the chamber by Labour councillors Jo Blackman and Joe Hehir at a full council meeting on March 20.
The Roding flows through parts of Epping Forest and into South Woodford and Ilford.
Cllr Blackman told the meeting the state of the country’s waterways made the situation with the Roding “part of a national scandal”.
Cllr Hehir added that clean water was “key to our survival and the environment’s”.
Redbridge Conservatives leader Paul Canal said: “The River Roding is an irreplaceable part of our local environment, but… it has become a dumping ground for sewage.”
He added that Thames Water had “failed in its most basic duty” to provide clean water to the capital.
So far, the council has written to Thames Water and the Environment Agency, alongside Leyton and Wanstead MP Calvin Bailey and the City of London Corporation.
The agreed motion says the council will “maintain pressure on relevant authorities”, including the Environment Agency, and “continue to advocate for urgent action” to address both the permitted and unpermitted discharges of sewage into the Roding and its tributaries.
The council will also urge local MPs to support the government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill which is going before Parliament.
The bill aims to tackle corporate failure by giving regulators Ofwat the power to fine companies and pursue criminal sanctions. If approved, companies would also need to provide real-time data about sewage discharges.
According to the Wildlife Trust, around ten per cent of fresh water and wetland species are at risk of extinction. In England and Wales, 38pc of fish health checks fail due to diseases linked to pollution.
Thames Water did not respond to a request for comment.
