Thames21 gets name-checked in House of Lords debate on Water (Special Measures) Bill

Thank you to Earl Russell who spoke really powerfully about the role citizen scientists play in helping to care for their rivers at yesterday’s (30th October 2024) House of Lords debate. It was nice that Thames21 and our volunteers were name-checked and given thanks for all the work we do in conducting citizen science initiatives. Kudos also went to the Rivers Trust’s Big River Watch initiative.

He and other members of the House of Lords were scrutinising the Water (Special Measures) Bill, which is currently at committee stage. The Water (Special Measures) Bill was introduced into Parliament on 4 September 2024 by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). At the launch of the Bill, Defra emphasised that the Bill is intended to significantly strengthen the power of water industry regulators in the UK – holding water companies to account “where they have failed to deliver for the environment and customers and begin to restore trust in the industry”.

Yesterday, members of the House of Lords put forward amendments (changes) to the Bill on subjects including emergency overflow restrictions and monitoring of river health.

Speaking yesterday, Earl Russell said that he wanted to make an amendment that would require the Environment Secretary to take steps to facilitate citizen science with regard to monitoring water companies.

He stated: “It is fair to say that none of us might be sitting or standing here debating the measures in this Bill were it not for the tireless work of concerned citizens and their passionate dedication and care for their local environment.”

He added: “Much of the information, knowledge and drive to prevent sewage discharges and much of the information about what is happening out there in the real world has come as a direct result of citizen science and citizens who care about their local environment. It is really important that we as Lords pay tribute to their work as a thank you to them, because the rise of this issue up the national debate and the national consciousness is partly a direct result of the work that they have taken up.

“That is work where they have taken on roles that really should have been filled by the government and regulatory agencies. For whatever reason, they did not have the capacity to do that. There are too many of these organisations to mention them all, but I acknowledge the Rivers Trust and its Big River Watch, which has worked for many years to build up a detailed knowledge of local environments, as well as the work of Thames21. I hope that other noble Lords will join me in offering them thanks.”