TDEG’s Rivers & Brooks Group is working to learn more about the issues which affect our local water quality. Our members are researching the problems of wastewater management, and exploring solutions based on studies across the UK and around the world.
We also want to keep up to date with actions proposed by our local water company, Severn Trent Water, and government policies and regulations.
We need to keep informed in order to focus our lobbying and local action. This page will be updated when our members discover anything which they feel is relevant and appropriate to this topic.
The information provided below was developed over the past year – read on for background information on our major areas of concern.
For recent updates as of 1 September 2025, read our further news here.
Severn Trent Water and Stormwater Overflows
One of our biggest concerns is the number of occasions that untreated sewage is permitted to be released into Tideswell Brook (123 occasions in 2023) – so-called stormwater overflows. Severn Trent Water is our local water company and they are responsible for managing our wastewater. They were established when the old water authority was partially privatised under the Water Act 1989. You can read more about the company here , or check out their own web site for more information about their services and campaigns here.
Stormwater overflows are supposedly only permitted in “exceptional weather conditions” to prevent wastewater and untreated sewage from our combined wastewater system backing up into our houses. Clearly, these permitted overflows are now far too frequent. Tideswell Wastewater Treatment Works is obviously not fit for purpose. The STW web site includes links to their Get River Positive campaign, which explains their current commitments to improving our water quality and reducing permitted overflows. It also encourages us to take our own individual actions to reduce pressure on the wastewater system.
STW are also required to provide real time information about stormwater overflows from their wastewater treatment works into our local rivers and brooks. You can view their stormwater overflow map here. The image below is a screen shot from the STW map (you need to locate the relevant village and its treatment works, and click on the marker for the data box).
The Rivers Trust provides a summary of historic stormwater overflows on their interactive Sewage Map. This is the source of our information that in 2023, STW was permitted to release untreated sewage into Tideswell Brook on 123 separate occasions.
Severn Trent has recently announced it will invest over £4.4 billion on its storm overflows to help improve river health across its region over the next 25 year period. Improvements will include increasing the capacity of storage tanks and introducing green nature-based solutions. STW state that these Storm Overflow Action Plans (SOAPs) will ensure that by 2040 no overflow will spill more than 10 times a year in high priority areas, and in all areas by 2045, five years ahead of Government targets. You can read more about the development of SOAPs here. But there are no details yet.
So we do not know what improvement works are planned at our local Tideswell Wastewater Treatment Works yet. But we do know that we fall within a high priority area, due to the environmental importance of the River Wye.
We would like to learn more about the STW plans, and lobby them to achieve these results far earlier than 2040 in our area. We also intend to monitor STW’s progress towards this target – particularly as previous water quality targets have never been achieved.
Pharmaceutical Pollution
Despite all STW’s promises, we remain concerned about many issues affecting our local rivers. Not all will be dealt with by SOAPs (even if STW meet their targets).
A major concern remains pharmaceutical pollution. Certain chemicals and drugs are currently not included in UK environmental legislation and standards which are meant to protect our water quality. This pollution is not monitored by the Environment Agency and our water companies are not legally required to act on it. Tideswell Wastewater Treatment Works does not have the technology to remove this type of pollution from our wastewater. Legislators are trying to tackle this issue in the European Union, but we have seen little action on this in the UK.
This University of York study found that pharmaceutical pollution in Tideswell Brook was the second highest they had found in the UK. You can read the full article here.
This podcast explains how the Swiss government is tackling this problem.
Many researchers are concerned that the medicines we treat our pets and livestock with are adding to this problem. Read more here.
This article focuses on the dangers of pet treatments, and some solutions.
Road run-off may be exacerbating the situation. More information here. One of our members sent us this report about similar issues.
In June 2025, researchers at Exeter University launched a survey on human health issues related to wild swimming, with particular concerns about pharmaceutical pollution. They are calling on the UK population to help provide a ‘health snapshot’ of the possible risks of bathing in the country’s rivers and lakes. The Centre’s antimicrobial resistance and microbiology group wants to understand whether people who swim in freshwater environments might be more likely to experience illness compared to those who don’t. Take part in a survey about health risks of freshwater bathing – European Centre for Environment and Human Health | ECEHH .
Nutrient Neutrality
We do have some important regulations which are designed to protect our waterways. “Nutrient Neutrality” is a new legal requirement under the Habitat Regulations. New development must now show compliance with the habitat regulations designed to protect areas of special ecological importance (such as the Wye catchment). This is because nitrogen and phosphorus from untreated sewage can damage aquatic ecosystems. Where protected sites already have unsustainable levels of nutrient pollution (as in many areas in Derbyshire – not just Tideswell), all proposals for new development are now required to show that the new scheme will not make the pollution worse. In other words, the new scheme needs to be ‘nutrient neutral.’ Nutrient Neutrality for new developments is delivered by offsetting the nutrients that the new scheme will produce through improvements to waste water management either on site or elsewhere.
This requirement is extremely important for protecting our already over polluted rivers. But it is also affecting local housing developments in our villages (including the recent affordable housing development proposed on Sherwood Road in Tideswell). Such schemes cannot proceed until they have demonstrated they will not cause further damage to our local waterways. You can read more about Nutrient Neutrality in the links below.
A guide produced by the Local Government Association for planning authorities on Nutrient Neutrality.
Natural England are the government agency responsible for advising local planning authorities and developers on this issue. This is their guide for developers on applying for successful mitigation schemes, with some interesting examples.
This Natural England article explains why Nutrient Neutrality regulations are so important.
Greenshank Environmental are a private consultancy who advise developers on the scheme and can provide opportunities for mitigation. There are some interesting examples of mitigation schemes on their web site. Other consultancies have also entered this ‘market’, as have various charities such as Wildlife Trusts (read more about their schemes here).
A case study encompassing a very strategic and partnership approach between developers, landowners and the local planning authority, affecting Chichester Harbour, can be read about here .
The national partnership for a wide range of environmental organisations, Wildlife & Countryside Link, has also published a statement on this issue, promoting a more strategic approach to these regulations. Read more here. This may well be required in order to ensure that the present government’s housing targets are delivered effectively and sustainably. As the Wildlife Trusts have argued, with the right approach, the planning system can help us to address the nature and climate crises, as well as getting Britain building.
Political lobbying and the Independent Water Commission
Many of these issues can only be addressed at a national government level. These reports indicate that there has been some recent progress, but much still needs to be done.
This article reports that some MPs have warned that the water industry is deaf to the need to reform.
We have been lobbying our local MP, John Whitby, on these issues and we were pleased to hear his contribution in Parliament to the recent debate on a new Water Bill (16 December 2024). Read his statement here – John Whitby’s contribution to the Water Bill .
The new Water (Special Measures) Act became law in February 2025. But many campaigners remain concerned about its implementation. Read more here. Further action by government is required. The government launched an Independent Water Commission earlier this year, to investigate the underlying problems in the water industry and seek evidence to address these issues. You can read more about sending your comments to the IWC here.
Make Your Voice Heard
If you want to join others and lobby the organisations and government agencies to make a difference, check out our Take Action – Make Your Voice Heard page.
News and Updates
This a fast developing area, particularly as government targets change and new legislation is introduced. You can catch up on the latest news here.
