BBC: Singer joins Save Windermere campaigners
“Singer Feargal Sharkey joined campaigners in calling for a clean up of a lake on Monday.
The environmentalist joined Save Windermere's weekly protest outside water firm United Utilities' information office in the Lake District town.
The water company said it invested billions in keeping water clean, but campaigners believe not enough is being done to tackle sewage pollution in the lake.
Mr Sharkey said: "If we cannot figure out how to preserve something as precious as... Windermere, what chance does any other brook, pond or lake have?"
Storm overflows are used in times of heavy rain, when the sewer system is at capacity. When this happens, the overflow will discharge dilute sewage into rivers.
Save Windermere said the discharge of sewage into the lake by United Utilities had significantly contributed to a degradation in water quality at the site.
Environmental problems at the lake in recent years have included the presence of harmful blue-green algae blooms, which can make humans ill and prove fatal to animals.
In November 2023, just 3% of the samples collected from the lake's shoreline met minimum standards under UK legislation.
The campaign group is calling for the removal of treated and untreated sewage discharges into Windermere, which is England's largest natural lake.”
