Pollution testing on the river Windrush pits science against sewage

Soraya Wooller spends her weekends in places most people wouldn’t want to venture. A volunteer for campaign group Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, Wooller tests treated wastewater being discharged from a nearby sewage treatment plant into the Windrush river in England’s Cotswolds region.

In the past ten years, Soraya and her community have seen the river deteriorate. The water has turned opaque, coated with algae, its fish populations quietly diminishing. That’s why she feels compelled to monitor the wastewater coming from the nearby treatment works that she says are severely damaging the Windrush river, and encourages others to join her.

Created for, and originally published in April 2023 by New Scientist’s sister publication the i paper, as part of our ongoing #savebritainsrivers campaign.