Herts MPs call for Blue Flag Status to protect vital chalk streams

Two Hertfordshire MPs are pressing for urgent legal protections for chalk streams, following the defeat of a Liberal Democrat proposal in Parliament last week that would have created a “Blue Flag Status” for the rivers across the UK.

Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans, and Victoria Collins, MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, supported the proposal designed to hold water companies accountable for sewage discharges and to improve the ecological health of rivers and streams.

While the motion was voted down by the Labour government, both MPs confirmed they would continue to push for the policy.

The proposed Blue Flag Status would impose compliance checks and legal obligations on water companies to protect rare habitats and prevent pollution.

Ms Cooper said: "A Blue Flag status could help secure a future free from disgusting sewage discharges into our precious chalk streams like the River Ver."

Ms Cooper also secured a commitment from Ministers to discuss her new Chalk Streams (Sewerage Investment) Bill, which would require water companies to prioritise the lining of old, porous pipes near chalk streams.

Victoria Collins raised concerns about ongoing discharges in her own constituency.

"The Markyate sewage works in my constituency has now had 3,000 hours of non-stop overflow, including sewage, which enters our precious chalk streams," she said.

She added: "Water companies are, quite frankly, getting away with destroying precious waterways every day. The government must rethink this and give our valuable waterways—locally and nationwide—the robust protections they desperately need."

On the ground over in Buckinghamshire, local campaigners continue their efforts to restore and defend chalk streams like the River Chess in Chesham.

Paul Jennings, Chair of the River Chess Association, has spent over two decades fighting to improve the river’s condition.

Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, he said: "We started seeing the river changing colour very rapidly and discovered that this was sewage discharges from the Chesham Sewage Treatment Works.

"Initially it was really just raising awareness, then we moved on to getting involved in projects, improving the river."

Their hard work over the course of 25 years has led to improvements, including reductions in water abstraction by Affinity Water and infrastructure improvements by Thames Water.

"As far as the river is concerned, it's really benefited from the extra flow that we're seeing. It's now a home in Chesham for water voles, which are an endangered species. It's also now a home for wild trout," he added.

Mr Jennings supports stronger legal protections, calling for chalk streams to be designated as special habitats.

This is championed by local MP for Chesham and Amersham, Sarah Green, whose Chalk Streams (Protection) Bill is soon to reach the second reading stage.

She said: "This particular project here where the water companies, the Council, voluntary groups, the town council, the politicians have all worked together on a project to to save and protect a chalk stream, shows that partnership working is vital.

"Frankly, if we don't look after them, we will lose them and they are precious and there are fewer than two 200 chalk streams in the world. Most of them are in the South East of England, and two of them are in my constituency. It is an immense privilege to be able to stand up and shout about them, and the important thing is that we don't take them for granted."

A Defra spokesperson said: "Chalk streams are vital ecosystems and a part of our national heritage, and this Government is committed to cleaning up our waterways for good.

"Water companies are now required to spend £22billion on restoring the environment, including chalk streams, over the next 5 years.

"We have delivered on our promise to put water companies under tough special measures through our landmark Water Act, introducing new powers to ban the payment of bonuses to polluting water bosses and bring tougher criminal charges against them if they break the law, whilst also securing over £100 billion of private sector investment to upgrade and build new water infrastructure."