Action by Southern Water but still a stink

On August 16th, we returned to the combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfall on the Lymington River to take a second water sample. We deliberately chose the same conditions as for our first test on 6 July 2025: a hot day at low tide. Matching the conditions means we will be able to make a fair comparison once the analysis is complete. On July 6 we found totally unacceptable levels of E. coli (57,100 CFU). The limit for bathing as a reminder is 1000 CFU.

Since that first round of testing, Southern Water have been on site. In response to pressure from residents, the Town Council, and reports in the Lymington Times, they inspected the outfall and surrounding infrastructure. The ground and manhole covers have now been clearly marked with blue paint, and most importantly the broken tidal flap has been replaced.

This tidal flap plays a crucial role. The old one had failed completely, allowing water and sewage to back up and flood the gardens near the level crossing as well as the riverside itself. The new flap should stop this happening, preventing sewage-laden water from being pushed back upstream with the tide.

While this action should help reduce localised flooding, we suspect the CSO is still discharging into the Lymington River. It certainly smelt as if that’s the case. This is why we took another sample yesterday and the test card is currently incubating,