Deadline looms on river crowd funding appeal

Time is running out to donate to a crowd funding initiative to empower volunteers map the network of outflow pipes along the River Almond and other rivers in the Forth basin.

This would mean local groups can monitor the amount of sewage outflows in their river, identify the where, what and when of sewage waste that flows from these outfall pipes and hold agencies such as Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and Scottish Water to account.

Recent reports confirm that sewage had been dumped over 500 times in the River Almond (pictured at Kirkliston by Nigel Ducnan) over the course of a calendar year and this has caused alarm among local groups.

The Clean Rivers, Healthy Rivers’ crowd funder launched on Thursday 22 April and runs until Thursday 29th April. Donations can be made at https://forthriverstrust.org/crowdfunding-clean-rivers-healthy-rivers/

Alison Baker, director of the Forth Rivers Trust said: “Sewage has become an increasing problem in the Forth Basin as old systems are not renewed but still expected to take the waste from an ever increasing population around the central belt. Sewage can smother habitat for aquatic wildlife but also cause issues for the communities that live next to rivers which have sewage in them.

“If this crowd funder is successful we will be able to identify where the hot spots are for sewage and it will mean volunteers and communities can monitor these areas and report sewage spills quicker.

“The project will also hopefully bring around real change by putting pressure on agencies to invest in the network where it needs it and also clean up after themselves so that the rivers around the Forth are healthier and protected for the benefit of wildlife and communities.”