Sewage on the London canals and invasive species

BW was talking last week about the 'illegal discharge of sewage into London's waterways'. 

British Waterways London is calling for boaters to put a stop to dispatching elsan units overboard and the use of active sea toilets on the capital’s canals and rivers.

… The consequences include, but are not limited to: the spread of gastroenteritis; contamination of shellfish beds; and depletion of oxygen in the water; fatal to fish and other aquatic wildlife as well as most severely the toxic poisoning of our marine life by the chemicals used to disinfect, breakdown and deodorise our waste in elsan units.

I'm not sure whether this is a complaint about canal boats, or of river/seagoing craft venturing on the canals.  I can barely believe that regular canal boaters Number Ones would simply toss their number twos into the Grand Union or River Lee.

I like to think it's an invasive species - perhaps Bargeus Dutchus or another form of life coming over from the Continental Canals. 

But the last bit of BW's comment gives a clue to the problem.  Its not just the Number Twos (nor even the Number Ones) that causes the most pollution, but the chemicals used in the toilets.  I never use this 'Blue' stuff in my pumpout – it's a solution (literally) in search of a problem.

Update: 'Roger' suggests that it's actually sewage on the River Lee.  Interesting point.  I like that term, the 'Poo Back Rivers'.

Comments

[Honey Ryder]

its hardly suprising people are starting to dump their effluent into the canals and rivers when BW are removing elsan and water points.
they are disappearing faster than they are appearing. Who is going to make the effort to travel by road more than 10 miles to dispose of a few litres of stinky detrius when they can chuck it in the canal or local field.

[eeyore]

How is it that VNF can cope with raw sea toilets on all craft on the Canal du Midi?

Are we so much more crowded?

One can now get a green blue, which, I understand, will keep your tank smelling sweet and not kill the fishes. Why is that not universally used?

[Dave Baynham]

bloody disgusting thing to do. If someone is found out to be doing it they should be heavily fined and be liable for a full river clean up.

[Roger]

I dont know about invasive species but I do know that the River Lee was recognised as one of the most polluted waterways in London due to a inordinate amount of sewage discharging into it (there was a TV investigation into this) People are worried about the Poo Back Rivers (sorry, Bow Back Rivers) displaying too much floating sewage during the 2012 Olympics. Perhaps BW has its priorities wrong but is targetting those it finds the easiest - boaters?