TEN parishes in Test Valley have joined hands to set up a forum in response to “an alarming increase” in the frequency of discharges of untreated wastewater by water companies into River Test.

Pan Parish River Pollution Forum has been formed to raise awareness of the serious damage of the river’s ecology and to campaign to prevent further pollution.

The parishes include Houghton, Appleshaw, Barton Stacey, Chilbolton, King’s Somborne, Longstock, North Baddesley, Nursling & Rownhams, Shipton Bellinger, and Stockbridge.

River Test is one of the world’s finest chalk streams. According to the forum, the river is now under threat as never before as the levels of pollution are a danger to fish, wildlife, insect life and to public health.

READ MORE: Southern Water calls off pumping water into River Test

The Pan Parish River Pollution Forum aims to share information about the extent of the pollution and to alert parishes when there are major discharges into the river in order, where possible, to facilitate the mitigation of damage, and to warn people to keep pets and children out of the water to avoid falling ill.

It will also campaign to stop further river pollution incidents and is calling on the Environment Agency and other relevant bodies to enforce existing regulations and bring water companies to account.

Southern Water had recently abandoned its plan to pump substantial quantities of wastewater into River Test after opposition from residents concerned about the ecological impact.

Houghton Parish Council is now planning to buy a water monitoring unit to be placed permanently in the river to constantly monitor the water quality and send alerts when pollutants exceed safe levels.

The water monitor is being bought with funding from the Houghton Community Benefit Fund and contributions from the Houghton Fishing Club and the Houghton Lodge Estate.

The forum said the current monitoring of water quality is too sporadic, and data is shared by the Environment Agency retrospectively.

Houghton intends to share information from the watering monitoring unit with the Pan Parish Forum and other interested parties.

The forum held its first meeting on Tuesday, February 27, at Houghton Village Hall. It was attended by representatives from various parishes along the River Test and by river keepers, estate managers and ecologists.

Houghton Lodge River Keeper, Seth Crosswaite, told the meeting that there had been major incidents of the spillage of untreated sewage from the water treatment plant at Fullerton in recent days.

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He said: “We are seeing increasingly less fly life and declining species such as the blue winged olive. This tiny fly lays its eggs in a protective bag which is dissolved by rising levels of phosphates. Also, algal blooms feeding on sewage can deoxygenate the water causing damage to the river for miles downstream of the original contamination point.

“The changes to the river will not only affect the fishing but the complete environment it holds within its banks.”

The next meeting of the Pan Parish River Pollution Forum will be held on Tuesday, April 9.