The Member of Parliament for Barking, Nesil Caliskan, has written to Thames Water, alongside local MPs Jas Atwal and Calvin Bailey, demanding urgent action to address growing concerns over continued pollution in the River Roding.
A major concern raised in the letter included reports of sewage discharge and elevated ammonia levels, which threaten local wildlife and community wellbeing.
“Recent evidence indicates that sections of the river recorded ammonia levels of up to 5.19 parts per million” nearly 26 times over “the levels considered necessary to sustain aquatic life.”
There are “reports of stormwater drains registering ammonia concentrations as high as 30.0ppm suggesting substantial and ongoing sewage contamination.”, Nesil Caliskan MP said.
In a meeting of the Environment Committee at the London Assembly last year, Paul Powlesland from the River Roding Trust, described his dismay at the sewage and the lack of coordination to tackle pollutants in London’s rivers. The issues raised, however, continue to persist.
Nesil Caliskan MP said:
“The levels of pollution in the water in Barking & Dagenham are disgusting. Local people in our borough deserve clean waterways not sewage. The River Roding Trust has been doing great work to clean up the Roding River, but ultimately Thames Water should be held to account and end this pollution.”
The MP emphasised the importance of protecting the borough’s waterways and called for greater transparency from Thames Water on pollution incidents, alongside a clear, time-bound plan to reduce them.
The MP has requested a prompt response and has indicated that they will continue to press the issue with regulators and government bodies if sufficient action is not taken.
