Praise streams in as filth filters out

YEARS of work to curb pollution in Oldham’s streams and rivers has led to recognition elsewhere.

That’s the view of Oldham Euro-MP Chris Davies who says the Mersey Basin has gained praise as one of the most improved river systems in Britain, in part thanks to Oldham’s efforts.

The River Dee also gained recognition in the Environment Agency list of the ten most-improved rivers. The Lib-Dem Euro-MP says painstaking efforts have been made to improve sewage systems, cut factory discharges, stop oil and chemicals being tipped into drains, and reduce fertiliser run-off from farmers’ fields.

Improvements are set to continue, with the UK required to meet tough new EU targets on water quality by 2015.

Mr Davies, said: “I remember standing on the Mersey promenade in Liverpool back in the 1980s and watching lumps of sewage float by on the tide. Many of our local streams flow into the Mersey, and it is a fantastic achievement that it is now clean enough to support otters and salmon. It gives hope to the idea that we can tackle the pollution challenges our world faces.”

He claimed that EU laws had played a key role in driving forward the improvements.