Grants are available for homes, businesses and farms in and around Windermere to form community septic tank emptying schemes.
Around 1,900 properties and businesses across the area will be sent packs by Love Windermere in the coming weeks with advice on how to maintain septic tanks and in turn, keep the lake healthy.
The move is part of the Love Windermere Partnership. The Lake District Foundation is working with the Environment Agency to help prevent pollution in Windermere caused by poorly maintained non-mains drainage systems.
Better maintenance of septic tanks could contribute to better water quality at Windermere and significantly reduce septic tank maintenance costs.
Around £8,000 is available in total for neighbours to set up community emptying schemes. Septic tank owners can register interest at www.callofnature.info/windermereproperty-pack-feedback/
Sarah Swindley, Lake District Foundation chief executive, said: “We all want water quality to be the best it can be for all to enjoy. We are trialling a new project where people can save time and money by joining a community emptying scheme. We have grants available to help communities come together to have tanks emptied at the same time.
“This is a really exciting move which has never been attempted before in Windermere and we are keen to work with the community to make a positive impact on this wonderful place.”
The Love Windermere Partnership launched in July and is developing a science-based plan to set out a road map for environmental protection that could be replicated across the UK.
Led by the Environment Agency, the partnership includes the Freshwater Biological Association; Lake District Foundation; Lake District National Park Authority; National Farmers Union; National Trust; South Cumbria Rivers Trust, South Lakeland District Council, United Utilities, and Cumbria LEP.
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More details: dickie.felton@lakedistrictfoundation.org 07706166787.
Notes to Editors:
Lake District Foundation
The Lake District Foundation, registered charity 1174201, inspires people to donate to projects that care for the spectacular wildlife, landscapes and cultural heritage of the Lake
District and Cumbria. The LDF supports the delivery of the shared aims of the Lake District National Park Partnership as the main fundraising and grant making partner. This is achieved through innovative and successful fundraising campaigns locally, nationally and internationally. The LDF encourages partners to work together to ensure a coordinated approach to fundraising and income generation. www.lakedistrictfoundation.org
Love Windermere
The Love Windermere Partnership was launched in July 2022. It sees the biggest ever cooperation of sectors to tackle challenges in the lake. The partnership is developing a science-based plan to set out a road map for environmental protection that could be replicated across the UK. Love Windermere has members from a broad range of sectors with the range of expertise and influence needed to bring about action.
Led by the Environment Agency, the partnership includes the Freshwater Biological Association; Lake District Foundation; Lake District National Park Authority; National Farmers Union; National Trust; South Cumbria Rivers Trust, South Lakeland District Council, United Utilities, and Cumbria LEP.
Last week (28 September 2022), the Freshwater Biological Association released its summary report and data from the Big Windermere Survey. This important Citizen Science project provides a one-day snapshot on Water Quality across Windermere, lakes and streams in the catchment. This is a first step in building up a detailed scientific understanding of the actual condition of Windermere. The results show that water quality is not high in all areas of the lake, but equally there is no evidence in the survey of poor water quality across the whole of Windermere. More details here. This is the first of a series of surveys into water quality at Windermere.
Call of Nature
Call of Nature is the campaign to prevent pollution in our rivers and watercourses caused by poorly maintained off mains sewage systems. It may not be glamorous, but if we don’t look after our septic tanks, cesspits and package sewage treatment plants, they’ll start to fail. This means they’ll start to smell, spread disease to humans and animals, pollute our local rivers and seas. And nobody wants that.
Septic Tanks
Residents with septic tanks are responsible for ensuring they are appropriate, fitted and maintained to prevent pollution. Septic tanks must comply with the General Bindings Rules which came into force in 2015 (available on GOV.UK General binding rules: small sewage discharge to the ground – GOV.UK (http://www.gov.uk). Where septic tanks and land management cause pollution, the Environment Agency will take action and has enforcement powers to ensure owners carry out necessary works.
Dickie Felton
