Our river is dying!

 

Photograph from the mural bridge in Woodcock Park today., Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May 2022. It shows grey fungus that grows on human sewage. 

 

Guest post by Joy Rickman, Friends of Woostock Park

 

If the Wealdstone Brook was a patient in a hospital, it would be in The Intensive Care Unit.

 

It may seem a strange way to describe a river, but it is the truth.

 

The Wealdstone Brook is indeed a river, it is a tributary of the River Brent which in turn feeds into the River Thames.

 

For a long time, the Wealdstone brook has endured the depraved behaviour of mankind. All manner of liquids and solids have been thrown, pumped or dumped into its waters creating a toxic liquid landfill.

 

Silt samples show very minimal life in the Wealdstone Brook.

 

It should be teeming with tiny invertebrates. These minute creatures and microbes that live in the bed of the river are a fantastic cleaning army. They break down harmful pollutants and chemicals in the water but, THEY ARE NOT THERE.

 

Their lives have been taken by massive volumes of water eroding away their home in the riverbed.

 

The brook further downstream - it was smelling badly

 

Every time land is paved or built on more water is sent into the rivers.  Pollutants from tyres and cars cascade into our waterway during heavy rain to add to the existing poisons.

 

The case for rivers must be made right now! There is no time to waste. Mankind must help to care for and restore the rivers.

 

The Wealdstone Brook is a beautiful, wonderful, relaxing natural resource which should be healed and cherished.

 

As a waterway it offers educational opportunities that would benefit over 4000 pupils in local schools.

 

The Wealdstone Brook should be able to leave intensive care. It should be given the cure of funding and protection and restoration that it deserves, to allow its waters to teem with life again