It has been discovered that the River Medway contains more than three times the recommended amount of E. Coli. E. Coli levels in river water samples collected at St Mary’s Island and The Strand in Gillingham have been found to be dangerously high, indicating contamination from sewage or animal waste.
The Medway Liberal Democrats are requesting that the council regularly test the waters of the River Medway and issue alerts when hazardous levels of pollutants are discovered. Guidelines from the Environment Agency state that if the E. Coli bacteria count is more than 500 cfu/100 ml, the coastal bathing water quality is deemed poor.
Along the River Medway, the Liberal Democrats collected two samples: one at St Mary’s Island and the other at the Strand. The sample at The Strand tested at 1700 cfu/100 ml, which is 3.4 times higher than safe levels, compared to 700 cfu/100 ml at St Mary’s Island.
Individuals who come into contact with water contaminated by specific E. Coli strains run the risk of experiencing nausea, vomiting, and, in rare circumstances, renal failure. Greenpeace’s journalism project Unearthed conducted a study last year that discovered the Medway constituencies had experienced nearly 700 hours of sewage spillage in 2022.
This translated into an estimated 600 million litres of Southern Water sites spilling into the Towns’ streets and the River Medway annually. This corresponds to the spilling of approximately one-third of an Olympic-sized swimming pool’s worth of raw sewage every hour.
The Liberal-Democrat candidate for Rochester and Strood, Graham Colley, expressed his deep concern for the numerous water-sports clubs and businesses that rely on this section of the river. These clubs and businesses might have to close if the water becomes unsafe due to sewage contamination.”
The Liberal Democrat candidate for Gillingham and Rainham, Stuart Bourne, continued, saying, “I regularly bring my two children to The Strand. On hot days, they enjoy going for a little paddle or tossing stones into the water, just like the other kids down there.
“It is disgraceful that water companies are putting the health of my children at risk by dumping raw sewage into our river.” The Medway Liberal Democrats have started a petition to request that the council keep an eye on pollution levels and alert locals if they become too high.
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