Oxfordshire wild swimmers marching for clean water
They are calling for water companies, such as Thames Water, to come under public ownership
Today, a group of wild swimmers from Oxfordshire will be joining around 30,000 people in what aims to be the biggest ever gathering in the UK for water, as they’re calling for water companies, such as Thames Water, to be owned by the government.
March for clean water is “demanding urgent action to protect Britain’s rivers and waterways”, according to River Action UK.
The event supported by over 130 organisations, including the National Trust, RSPB, Surfers Against Sewage, The Rivers Trust, Angling Trust, GMB Union, and the Women’s Institute.
'It’s a very unhappy and poorly river'
Laura Reineke is from Henley Mermaids, which is a group of wild swimmers in the River Thames, and she tells us why they’re marching today.
She said: “We have the privilege but very sad position of having a duck-side view of the devastating effect that this constant pollution is having on our river.
“In the last three years we’ve seen our river go from clear and relatively clean to now you can’t see through the river, and it’s covered in sewage. It’s a very unhappy and poorly river.
“So, it’s vital that we amplify our voice as one and the more people that know what these water companies, regulators and government aren’t doing – then the better result we will see at the end of it.”
Ms Reineke says Henley Mermaids want to see the public ownership of water companies, but don’t want Ofwat to be scrapped despite recent mounting pressures from activists to find new ways of regulating waterways.
Ms Reineke said: “If water companies went into public ownership, all debt would be wiped out and as a government-run ownership it will make borrowing money at 40% cheaper, so it just makes sense.”
March for clean water
The march is planned to start at 11.45am Albert Embankment, in London before they gather in Parliament Square at around 1:30pm.
The rally is set to include speeches from environmentalist Chris Packham, broadcaster Carol Vorderman, and Thames General Branch Secretary of the GMB Union, Cliff Roney.
Environmental advocates, community leaders, and citizens from across the UK are demanding immediate action to end pollution by water companies, intensive agriculture, and other sources.
According to River Action UK, they are calling on Kier Starmer’s government to end pollution by ‘preventing companies from prioritising profit over environmental health’, reform environment regulators and strengthen deterrents against illegal pollution.