Bournemouth Town Council will seek water quality reports and Environment Agency input after residents raised concerns about reported E. coli contamination in Christchurch Harbour and the River Stour. More scrutiny is being sought over water quality concerns in Christchurch Harbour and the River Stour. Bournemouth Town Council has agreed to contact Wessex Water and the Environment Agency after residents raised concerns about reported E. coli contamination in the harbour and nearby waterways, including parts of the River Stour catchment. A proposal from Councillor Ben O’Keefe had asked the co
More scrutiny is being sought over water quality concerns in Christchurch Harbour and the River Stour.
Bournemouth Town Council has agreed to contact Wessex Water and the Environment Agency after residents raised concerns about reported E. coli contamination in the harbour and nearby waterways, including parts of the River Stour catchment.
A proposal from Councillor Ben O’Keefe had asked the council to take a more active role, including buying water testing kits for volunteers and seeking information after combined sewer overflow discharges.
Councillor Mark Anderson proposed changes because he said the council could be taking on responsibilities that had not been fully assessed, with questions about “training, supervision, insurance, and health and safety”.
The revised motion removed the volunteer testing scheme and the rivers declaration, while councillors agreed to ask Wessex Water for reports after any overflow during “normal weather conditions” in Bournemouth parish and upstream in the River Stour catchment.
The council will also publish reports from Wessex Water and the Environment Agency on its website, and ask the agency whether “further investigation or monitoring” is needed following residents’ concerns.
