NFFoE at VJ 80: Spotlight on Sewage Pollution

On the first Saturday in September, New Forest Friends of the Earth ran a very successful stall at New Milton’s VJ 80 celebrations. Our main focus was on water pollution, with particular attention to the E. coli testing that we’ve been carrying out locally.

We created clear, informative displays for our stall (see photos) and invited visitors to sign a petition to Southern Water, showing the strength of feeling about the scale of E. coli contamination in our streams and rivers.

Signing our Petition

Lymington River – raw sewage in the spotlight

Getting ready for VJ 80The most shocking example we shared was the Lymington River, where raw sewage has been discharged directly into the water. At 78

310 CFU it is thousands of times over the limit. This doesn’t just affect the river itself: the outflow goes on to impact the marina, all river users and the seawater baths downstream from the CSO. Understandably, many people were horrified to hear how regularly this is happening in such well-used places.

Chewton Bunny and Walkford Brook – 2.5x over safe limits

We also highlighted Chewton Bunny, just a mile from the Recreation Ground where our stall was held. Recent testing of Walkford Brook, which flows through the Bunny and out into the Solent, showed E. coli levels at over 2,500 CFU – two and a half times the recommended bathing limit. While the Bunny itself provides a pleasant local walk, the real impact is on bathing water quality at Barton and Highcliffe beaches downstream.

Hundreds of signatures, many conversations

Our petition proved hugely popular, with hundreds of signatures gathered in just one afternoon. People welcomed the chance to talk with us about this dreadful situation, sharing their own concerns and determination to see change.

Wider campaigns – linking the issues

Alongside the water quality campaign, we also shared materials from our other work, including the Climate and Environment Act, Planet Over Profit and Ragwort myths. These conversations reminded us that protecting our rivers, seas, and beaches is part of the bigger picture of safeguarding our environment for the future.

What you can do next

We know from this event that our community cares deeply about clean, safe water. If you missed our stall, you can still get involved:

   •   Add your name to our petition calling on Southern Water to take urgent action.

   •   Join us for future events to learn more and help spread the word.

   •   Take part in water testing or simply keep talking about this issue. Public pressure helps.

Together, we can keep up the momentum and make sure our rivers and seas are safe for wildlife, safe for swimmers, and safe for future generations.