Green lobby attacks NEWater river plans in UK ...

Excerpt from thisishampshire.net:

Green lobby attacks rivers drought plan

Hampshire's green lobby has attacked plans to dump millions of litres of treated sewage water into two of the county's rivers to ward off droughts during the summer.

The plans would see the water pumped from sewage works near Southampton to the sources of the River Test and River Itchen in a bid to prevent the rivers running dry if the south sees a repeat of last year's drought.

However the proposals, from Singapore-based company Newater, have attracted strong criticism from environmentalists and anglers who say the move could lead to an ecological disaster.

Those opposed to the scheme say they fear the recycled water will still contain dangerously high levels of the sex-change chemical Oestrogen, along with elevated phosphate concentrations, excessive ammonia, and low oxygen - all of which would harm wildlife.

The rivers are considered to be England's finest chalk streams and are both deemed as designated sites of scientific interest, while the Itchen is also an a Special Area of Conservation - the highest level of protection handed out.

Both rivers also have international reputations for their fishing, with anglers including former US Presidents Jimmy Carter and George Bush.

A spokesman for Newater said the water would be given additional treatments before being pumped back into the rovers, to ensure the quality was at the highest possible standard and that recycling water was a good way to increase water levels.

However Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat Environment spokesman and through whose constituency the Itchen flows, voiced concerns.

He said: "This is a natural system that has evolved over thousands of years, and yet this plan will treat the Itchen as though it were a back garden pond that needs an extra pump."

So too did Jim Glasspool of angling society The Test and Itchen Association, who said: "We support the principle of recycling water, but these proposals are inappropriate."

Public comments on the proposals are being accepted by The Environment Agency until Thursday, with a decision due later in the spring.

See - Singapore's NEWAter faces uphill battle in UK.

An 'ecological disaster' seems unlikely although there should be debate on what will remain in the recycled water.

Looks like some 'community education' is required ...