Life of a Chalkstream: Environment Agency chief heads for the exit

Greetings!

So, it is goodbye to our friend Sir James Bevan who will end his seven year tenure as Chief Executive of the Environment Agency at the end of the month. Why is he going? Well, nobody is saying but a client well versed in the politics of the boardroom tells me that when a new Chairman arrives and the Chief Executive heads for the exit almost simultaneously, as is the case at our supposed guardian of water quality, it is not a good look.

To mark his departure Bevan gave us the benefit of his wisdom in a final speech where he told us “Achieving clean and plentiful water is easy to say but hard to do”. He is living proof …. I have noticed that the EA chief has become rather fond of these grand set piece speeches in his latter years – no doubt he will soon move on to some well-rewarded sinecure to indulge this penchant, I’m betting at taxpayer expense.

In the speech Sir James highlighted three facts behind improvements in river water quality over the last few decades [note to self: did he not have anything specific to his seven years?], including:

Sewage treatment works now discharge 67% less phosphorus and 79% less ammonia into rivers
An increase in the number of salmon in rivers
Otters have returned to every English county

Unfortunately for Bevan his choice of ‘improvements’ fail to stand up to scrutiny, and more unfortunately contradictory data came out almost the very day he stood up to make his valedictory speech. Let us start with ammonia.

Sir James Bevan

Now, this data is based on OSM. I know you all love a good acronym but no reason why you should know this one which means Operator Self-Monitoring. That is to say, ammonia data is compiled on the basis of self-testing by the water companies (truly) who submit returns to the EA based on measurements taken once a month at a time of day when ammonia levels will be lowest. The OSM declaration shows that 3% of sewage works break their permits for ammonia. However, this is not the only data water companies have on this pollutant who, for their own purposes, test ammonia levels every 15 minutes, 24/7. This data is not the data they share with the EA but thanks to the work of Professor Peter Hammond of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution and his Freedom of Information requests, we know that the 24/7 data shows 20% of sewage works break their permits for ammonia.

I cannot speak for every salmon river but what I do know is that last month we had the figures for the River Test 2022 salmon run, a total of 500, which is roughly half the conservation limit and roughly half the five year average. At this number chalkstream Atlantic salmon, a distinct sub-species that head to sea a year after birth rather than the usual two, are not just an endangered species but on the way to extinction.

As to his otter claim I almost fell off my chair; it has to be the dumbest of dumb claims by someone who has had seven years to master his brief. The revival of the otter population is entirely due to a decision in the 1980’s by the government of the day to withdraw organophosphates from agricultural and industrial use, a decade before the Environment Agency came into being!

As he wound up his speech Bevan returned to what has become his regular, woe-is-me-we-are-all-in-this together mantra, saying, “Success will require everyone, and I mean literally everyone, to play their part.”

Well, for once he is right about something – yes, we do indeed all have to play our part. It is just a shame that with a staff of 10,000, a budget of billions and enforcement powers denied to us mere mortals Sir James Bevan has failed to lead to Environment Agency to play their part.

Paul Whitehouse: Our Troubled Rivers

You might recall that back in the summer I spent the best part of a day filming with Paul Whitehouse as part of a two part BBC programme to highlight the worrying state of our rivers.

I am pleased to say that Paul Whitehouse: Our Troubled Rivers will be going out this Sunday (5/March) on BBC 2 at 8pm. The second will be going out a week later on 12/March. The two-part series will also be available online on BBC iPlayer. In case you think I’ve been left on the cutting room floor after the first programme, I’m told that the day Paul and I spent together at Whitchurch Fulling Mill on the River Test comes in the second part.

On the topic in Whitchurch, Richard and Lucie the owners of Fulling Mill have been at the forefront of a campaign to reduce the dangerous level of phosphates that are entering the River Test. As with all these campaigns it requires not just huge effort by the individuals involved but also to be seen by the powers that be as a campaign that garners local and national support.

Do take a moment, if you can, to support the petition via this link. Thank you.

The FT weighs in on the pollution furore

I hate to do a full cut and paste but sometimes you simply cannot do justice to great writing by trying some ham-fisted precis. So, I am indebted to the Rutherford Hall, critical communications strategist, who’s messages are reported in the Financial Times each Monday by Robert Shrimsley, for a it-is-so-made-up-it-could-be-true contribution to the debate.

Rutherford Hall

WhatsApp to Stephen: Don’t worry, funnily enough I haven’t forgotten your secret affair with our head of data, or my promise to tell staff about the reorganisation in a way that doesn’t start rumours. But I’ve got a rush job for a client. NorthSouth Water is panicking about media calls for a new crackdown on their God-given right to pollute our rivers with sewage. You know the old phrase, “Where there’s muck there’s brass”? Well, where there’s effluent, there’s affluence.

From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com

To: SarahG@NorthSouthWater.com

Hi Sarah,

We are on it. But we need to be realistic. There is no campaign that makes this look good. We are on clean-up duty one way or the other. In a dream world, we’d pledge a fast and expensive programme to end the dumping of sewage in rivers. So the challenge is to frame a plan which addresses public concerns while reassuring your shareholders you won’t do anything as environmentally unfriendly as cut their dividends.

First, we need to reframe this in a broader and positive context of your stellar environmental record. Yes, this looks bad, but actually you are way ahead in your 10-point green plan. We need to stress how much you’ve reduced your carbon footprint, the work on water conservation, your fleet of electric vehicles. The message is you are super green, but still a work in progress. Oh, and let’s start referring to sewage as “organic waste”. Sounds more environmentally friendly.

Yours, greenwashing, Rutherford - Member DCMS Panel on Business and the Metaverse

From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com

To: SarahG@NorthsouthWater.com

Hi Sarah. I like the way you think. Yes, we could say the sewage was biodegradable but we don’t want people thinking about it more than necessary. Lots of things are biodegradable but you don’t necessarily want to swim in them. I take your point about the scale of this being exaggerated but let’s avoid the phrase “a drop in the ocean”.

I’m not surprised the other water chief execs have asked you to front up this campaign. It’s obviously flattering to be told by your peers you are a natural communicator and the best person to go on the Today programme to defend the industry. But I’d urge you to think carefully. On the one hand, you earn the respect of your peers while they shelter behind you. On the other, you’ll get your salary on the front of the Mail and environmental activists turning up at your house to dump sewage in the driveway.

Best, Rutherford - Member DCMS Panel on Business and the Metaverse

From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com

To SarahG@NorthsouthWater.com

Great. That was my instinct too. Stay in the peloton and let someone else take the heat. It’s what you pay WaterUK for. On the wider campaign, the message to ministers is that jail sentences or fines of up £250mn will just lead to higher bills for customers and lower investment in infrastructure. We also need to push back calls for a beefed up Environment Agency. Do ministers really want unelected regulators pushing up bills at a time when everyone is feeling the pinch?

But clean rivers are not net zero. All Tories can, sort of, see the point of them. Total inaction is just a gift to Labour and we don’t see a future Labour government as our friend on this issue. They might prioritise those swimming in sewage over those swimming in cash. So we need to get ahead of this. I have to advise that you can’t avoid spending so the game is to stretch the timelines and give them a reason not to act. I know what you are thinking: there goes the dividend. But we just need to structure this correctly. It’s like HS2 — we are totally committed to it but will all be dead before it happens.

That means a plan costing a very large number — multiple millions — but spaced over several years and nicely backloaded, which will reduce river emissions by another very large number. Our sustainable, long-term clean water plan. Is there anything you can do that appears to link it to your remuneration so it looks like a personal commitment? I’m sure you can make the metrics achievable!

BTW can you do anything about the particular places the media keep focusing on. Stick to less accessible areas and they might pick on another company.

Best, Rutherford - Member DCMS Panel on Business and the Metaverse

WhatsApp to Stephen: Honestly mate, I’m on it. I’ve just been dealing with a business leader dumping toxic crap on the people around them. So don’t worry, you’re very much on my mind.

Ends.

I am not sure whether this link to the FT site, which is mostly behind a firewall, will work but give it a try to read more from Rutherford Hall https://www.ft.com/rutherford-hall

The Flies That Trout Prefer by Peter Hayes and Don Stazicker

The subtitle to this book should have been Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Fly Fishing But Were Afraid to Ask. But it is not but rather Imitating Vulnerability is the Key to Success. Don’t match the hatch, if the hatch is not what they are eating.

As Alf Garnet would have opined, that’s a statement of the bleedin’ obvious but one we often forget. How many times have you flogged away with a giant Mayfly at the height of the hatch to be fastidiously ignored whilst your friend (probably soon to be ex-friend) hauls fish out with some drowned creation or tiny gnat?

I hope Peter and Don will not be offended when I tell you this is not a fun fly fishing book for, I say this in a good way. I have a friend who takes his golf seriously. Before each game he will watch You Tube videos to examine some aspect of his play. Afterwards, he’ll look out problem solving clips. This book, which in its e-book only format contains plenty of videos shot by the authors, fulfils a similar function. An example clip is below

You may read it cover to cover and plenty will but for me it’s a book to dip into ahead or after a fishing trip. Confounded and frustrated when the conditions conspire against you? With numerous chapters with numerous subheadings, you will often be able to find the answer for the next time. Or anticipate the day ahead to find something new to add to your box of tactics.

The Flies That Trout Prefer is published Peter Hayes and Don Stazicker on Amazon at £19.99 https://amzn.to/3EG5Xwi