The water quality of UK rivers, including our River Stour, is of great concern for the ecology and wildlife, and for people swimming, sailing etc. PACE therefore began working with the Environment Agency in 2023 to help identify pollution levels at 5 locations of the River Stour: Langham, Higham, Stratford St Mary, Dedham and at Fen Bridge near Flatford. 15 PACE volunteers have been trained to take monthly samples of freshwater invertebrates (using a technique called Riverfly), water chemistry and bacteria (which are cultured for us by University of Essex to test for the gut bacteria E.coli and Enterococcus). These three methods give us a measure of water quality. Such is the deep concern about river pollution; there are now over 150 volunteer groups undertaking these water quality surveys across the UK. Each month our results go onto the Environment Agency national website. If there is a significant concern about any poor result the Environment Agency will investigate this and where necessary, prosecute the polluter. Nearby Manningtree Mermaids have also been taking water and bacteria samples at Manningtree Beach and this has resulted in Bathing Water status being established where the Environment Agency must test the water quality between May and September.

 

By 2026 PACE volunteers had completed 3 full years of sampling. We have established that the water quality is particularly poor at Dedham and Flatford, and we suspect the reasons are Agricultural run-off or Road run-off from the A12 or Sewage overflow. We are now reviewing the results and considering what is the best way forward: do we continue with the present 5 survey points; or do we expand the survey; or do we re-direct our effort into more detailed work to better identify the reasons for poor water quality.

 

What can you do?

Read our water quality report - is it a subject you are interested in?

Would you like to be trained to undertake the water quality testing?

If so, then Email manningtreepace@gmail.com and let us know.