Water

At Dorset CPRE we are concerned about water pollution

Most of the contaminants that pollute our rivers, streams, harbours, beaches and aquifers come from agricultural activities, sewage and wastewater, and urban diffuse pollution.

The main pollutants in our waterways are phosphate and nitrate based.  Regions in the south-west show above average levels of both phosphates and nitrates in the soil in comparison with the average across the whole of England.

Dorset CPRE supports initiatives to bring about changes to national farm policy to incentivize and reward farmers to reduce pollution in our waterways.

We also support amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to ensure there is a legal duty on water companies to upgrade wastewater treatment works to achieve the new and tighter requirements regarding the Governments’ Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan requirements and nutrient neutrality.

We support initiatives to control the discharge of harmful contaminants from urban areas and the transport network. These contaminants entering water bodies (rivers, streams, lakes) and groundwater have an adverse impact on water quality and ecology.

Catchment Partnerships

We have joined the Dorset Catchment Partnerships (Stour Delivery Group and the Poole Harbour Delivery Group) and The Hampshire Avon Catchment Partnership Hub. Much of Dorset CPRE’s activity is focused on learning from these Catchment Partnerships on what is going on regarding tackling water pollution in these catchments.