River Soar Protection Letter

A public call for urgent action to end sewage pollution in the River Soar and its tributaries

To:

• The Environment Agency

• Severn Trent Water

• DEFRA

• Local Authorities across the Soar catchment

• MPs representing Leicester, Leicestershire, and surrounding constituencies

We, the undersigned, call for immediate and decisive action to protect the River Soar and its tributaries.

The River Soar is one of Leicestershire’s most important natural assets, a living river that supports wildlife, recreation, local communities, and future generations. Yet today it is being systematically polluted by sewage discharges, nutrient overload, agricultural runoff, and ageing wastewater infrastructure.

 Across the catchment, from the Sence to the Wreake, Rothley Brook, and dozens of smaller streams, water quality has deteriorated to dangerous levels. Ammonia, phosphate, and nitrate concentrations are routinely above healthy ecological thresholds. Sewage spills have become normalised. Transparency has been replaced by secrecy. Regulation has failed to protect the river.

This is unacceptable.

We demand the following actions:

1. End all treated and untreated sewage discharges into the River Soar and its tributaries.

 Routine discharges must stop. Emergency releases must be tightly controlled, monitored, and publicly reported.

2. Set strict, enforceable nutrient reduction targets for the entire catchment.

 Phosphate, nitrate, ammonia, and BOD must be reduced to levels that support ecological recovery.

3. Upgrade wastewater infrastructure across the Soar catchment.

Severn Trent Water must install advanced phosphorus removal, expand storm capacity, fix infiltration issues, and publish transparent upgrade timelines.

4. Install real‑time water quality monitoring at key points across the river system.

All data must be public, live, and downloadable.

5. Publish a complete map of all outfalls, storm overflows, discharge points, and pollution sources.

 This must include private, industrial, and agricultural sources.

See our Pollution Map.

6. Reform regulatory oversight and end the culture of secrecy.

 All inspections, compliance failures, enforcement actions, and water company data must be made public.

7. Restore natural habitats and rebuild ecological resilience.

 Floodplain reconnection, riparian planting, wetland restoration, and removal of barriers to fish migration must be prioritised.

8. Support citizen science as a legitimate evidence source.

 Community monitoring must be recognised, integrated, and respected.

9. Introduce a Polluter Pays Framework for the River Soar.

Pollution must cost more than prevention.

10. Create a legally binding River Soar Recovery Plan.

 A statutory blueprint covering sewage, nutrients, infrastructure, monitoring, habitat restoration, and annual public reporting.

Why this matters

The River Soar is central to our communities, a place for walking, paddling, angling, wildlife watching, and connection with nature. It is part of our identity. Allowing it to decline further is a failure of duty, governance, and stewardship.

We refuse to accept a future where sewage pollution is normal, ecological collapse is inevitable, and transparency is optional.

We stand together for a clean, living River Soar.

Add your name

Sign the River Soar Protection Letter and join the movement to restore our river.