Latest news with #MattStaniek
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Windermere swimmers warned after blue-green algae found in lake
Swimmers have been told to avoid part of a popular lake after harmful blue-green algae was found in the blooms, which can make people ill if swallowed, were discovered at the Lakeside YMCA bathing area in Windermere, in the Lake campaigners said they believed it had been caused by a combination of pollution flowing into the lake and the warmer Environment Agency said blue-green algae - which can turn the water green - is "naturally occurring" and can appear across the UK, but advised people to avoid swimming in the affected area. Blue-green algae is technically not an alga but a collection of microscopic organisms known as cyanobacteria, which is naturally present in lakes and when conditions are right it can become abundant and form blooms, which can discolour the water or produce scums on its blooms can produce toxins which can cause a rash and make people ill if swallowed. It can also be dangerous to animals, such as dogs. The founder of Save Windermere, Matt Staniek, said the primary source of nutrients for blue-green algae in the lake came from sewage."When you get a combination of sewage flowing into the lake providing the nutrients, which is essentially fertiliser for algae, and nice warm weather like we've got now, that's when we're more inclined to see blue-green algae in the lake," he said."This is just going to get worse and worse with climate change." According to the Environment Agency's bathing water quality map, there are currently three areas in the Lake District swimmers are advised to Lakeside YMCA, Coniston Water Boating Centre and Derwent Water at Crow Park have all been rated poor for water Environment Agency confirmed the presence of blue-green algae in the Lakeside YMCA bathing area."As a result, the current advice is to avoid swimming in this part of the lake," a spokesperson said."Blue-green algae is a naturally occurring environmental phenomenon. It is not unique to Windermere and can appear in many water bodies across the UK, particularly during warm, calm, and dry conditions." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Times
26-04-2025
- Times
My lone battle to save Lake Windermere from sewage
The wooden bridge over Cunsey Beck appears to be extremely rickety, but Matt Staniek has been here many times before and offers reassurance. 'It looks like you can't cross it, but you can,' he says. We step into the middle and look down into the water. The beck is fed by Esthwaite Water, a protected wetland and site of special scientific interest supporting a diversity of plants and breeding birds. It is an idyllic spot sitting below Hill Top, the 17th-century farm once owned by Beatrix Potter, which is now a magnet for visitors. 'Is it any stretch of the imagination that Beatrix Potter would have walked down from her house onto the bridge and stared into Cunsey Beck when she was writing The Tale
BBC News
10-03-2025
- BBC News
Government to pledge to clean up Windermere
Environment Secretary Steve Reed is to pledge to ensure "only rainwater" enters England's largest is due to visit Windermere in Cumbria later and said the government was "committed to cleaning up this iconic lake" as part of its Plan for Change scheme, which aims to upgrade crumbling water infrastructure using private investment. Wastewater from water companies and private sewage treatment, along with rural and urban land use, are among a range of pollution issues the lake said: "Windermere is a stunningly beautiful national treasure but it's being choked by unacceptable levels of sewage pollution." Part of the Lake District National Park Unesco World Heritage Site, Windermere is home to more than 14,000 people and its scenery attracts an estimated seven million visitors per year. But in 2024 it was revealed water company United Utilities repeatedly dumped millions of litres of raw sewage illegally into the lake over a three-year period. Matt Staniek, a campaigner against sewage pollution and founder of Save Windermere, previously said Windermere was "the jewel in the crown of the Lake District National Park, and it's being used as an open sewer".Local groups and organisations - including Save Windermere, United Utilities and the Environment Agency (EA) - have set up a feasibility study to look into what is needed to eliminate sewage discharges into the lake from successful examples from around the government said a first step was to look at new methods to reduce pollution from private sewage discharges into included new treatment plants, along with schemes which would let owners of septic tanks and package treatment works ask for a connection to the mains sewer under certain conditions. Restoring 'natural beauty' As part of the scheme, United Utilities will invest £200m towards upgrading 10 wastewater treatment works at Windermere and reducing spills from storm overflows into the lake to 10 per year by 2030. The Environment Secretary said there would also be 33 additional EA specialist officers in the region and a quadrupling of water company said: "The government is committed to cleaning up this iconic lake."That is why we are working with a range of local groups and organisations to stop all sewage going into the lake and restore it to its natural beauty." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
