It is well known that there are significant problems with sewage throughout the Lambourn Valley. The villages of Great Shefford, East Garston, Eastbury, Lambourn and Upper Lambourn, (for ease of description, the Upper Lambourn Valley) all suffer from sewer flooding by groundwater infiltration, and all are in the catchment of the East Shefford Sewage Treatment Works. Thames Water treat this catchment as a discreet area with its own Groundwater Management Plan.
Many people, for many years, have been trying to tackle Thames Water in an attempt to bring about some improvement. The Lambourn Valley Flood Forum has been making strong representation, however, as the name suggests, the LVFF’s main focus has been on flooding issues.
It is now felt that a more concentrated and coordinated effort is needed to resolve sewage problems in our specific part of the Valley that ties in with TW’s East Shefford STW Management Plan.
The Chairs of the Parish Councils of Great Shefford, East Garston, and Eastbury, Lambourn and Upper Lambourn, have come together to form a Sewage Action Group for the Upper Lambourn Valley.
Our prime objective is to secure clear sewers and a clean river, and our prime target is Thames Water.
Martyn Wright of the EG Flood & Pollution Forum has agreed to chair the group, and we will also be supported by our District Councillors, Clive Hooker and Howard Wollaston. We will be inviting a small number of committed individuals, with specific knowledge and experience from each parish, to join the group to gather evidence of sewage problems, in order to present the strongest possible case to TW, the Environment Agency and other relevant organisations.
There are no quick fixes and we have to be realistic about what we can, and cannot, achieve with TW in such a precarious financial state, however, we are determined to try!
We will keep you updated, and seek your feedback, as the campaign develops.
Louisa Freeman – Great Shefford
Sue Tulloch - East Garston
Vicky Rieunier – Lambourn (inc Upper Lambourn & Eastbury)
Chairs of the Parish Councils
If you would like to know more, please use our Contact Us form, and we'll be in touch
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