WATERSHED Investigations
@watershed-i.bsky.social
Award-winning independent not-for-profit investigative journalism in the public interest.
https://watershedinvestigations.com/
Watershed is:
@rachelsalvidge.bsky.social
@leanahosea.bsky.social
Posts by Chloe
https://watershedinvestigations.com/
Watershed is:
@rachelsalvidge.bsky.social
@leanahosea.bsky.social
Posts by Chloe
'the abandoned paper mill was actually a deeply contaminated and highly radioactive former frack waste treatment plan'
Hard to overstate the enduring filth released by fossil fuel extraction
Hard to overstate the enduring filth released by fossil fuel extraction
November 11, 2025 at 5:44 PM
'the abandoned paper mill was actually a deeply contaminated and highly radioactive former frack waste treatment plan'
Hard to overstate the enduring filth released by fossil fuel extraction
Hard to overstate the enduring filth released by fossil fuel extraction
Many chemicals are added to plastic as part of the production process. So, plastic pellets may be far from inert + harmless if sea creatures consume them.
3/3
share.google/1Z6n4c5QV16D...
3/3
share.google/1Z6n4c5QV16D...
November 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Many chemicals are added to plastic as part of the production process. So, plastic pellets may be far from inert + harmless if sea creatures consume them.
3/3
share.google/1Z6n4c5QV16D...
3/3
share.google/1Z6n4c5QV16D...
Testing carried out for Watershed, by scientist David Megson, found plastic pellets can absorb pollutants from water, passing them to animals who eat them. Particularly worrying if it is confirmed those at Camber Sands came from a wastewater treatment plant.
2/3
share.google/hUYd9dTLQm0J...
2/3
share.google/hUYd9dTLQm0J...
November 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Testing carried out for Watershed, by scientist David Megson, found plastic pellets can absorb pollutants from water, passing them to animals who eat them. Particularly worrying if it is confirmed those at Camber Sands came from a wastewater treatment plant.
2/3
share.google/hUYd9dTLQm0J...
2/3
share.google/hUYd9dTLQm0J...
Plastic pellets are readily mistaken by birds + fish for fish eggs - a food stuff for many species - one reason they're so risky for wildlife as Helena Dollimore, MP, explains on tonight's @channel4news.bsky.social
www.channel4.com/news/vast-cl...
🧵 1/3
www.channel4.com/news/vast-cl...
🧵 1/3
November 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Plastic pellets are readily mistaken by birds + fish for fish eggs - a food stuff for many species - one reason they're so risky for wildlife as Helena Dollimore, MP, explains on tonight's @channel4news.bsky.social
www.channel4.com/news/vast-cl...
🧵 1/3
www.channel4.com/news/vast-cl...
🧵 1/3
Our story on the Drinking Water Inspectorate ordering water companies to act on PFAS in drinking water sources made it to BBC Radio 4 PM yesterday, with Prof Patrick Byrne explaining some of the ways forever chemicals can affect people's health. More here:
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
November 4, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Our story on the Drinking Water Inspectorate ordering water companies to act on PFAS in drinking water sources made it to BBC Radio 4 PM yesterday, with Prof Patrick Byrne explaining some of the ways forever chemicals can affect people's health. More here:
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
A beautiful article by @freshwaterhabitats.bsky.social on the critical importance of these delicate waters, and the work the Trust is doing to support them. A really lovely read:
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
4/4
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
4/4
November 2, 2025 at 6:04 PM
A beautiful article by @freshwaterhabitats.bsky.social on the critical importance of these delicate waters, and the work the Trust is doing to support them. A really lovely read:
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
4/4
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
4/4
In spite of the critical role they play in supporting insects, amphibians, birds, fish, reptiles + mammals, small water bodies are mostly excluded from the Water Framework Directive. As a result we have very little data about their health, or pollution in these tiny waterways + wetlands.
3/4
3/4
November 2, 2025 at 6:04 PM
In spite of the critical role they play in supporting insects, amphibians, birds, fish, reptiles + mammals, small water bodies are mostly excluded from the Water Framework Directive. As a result we have very little data about their health, or pollution in these tiny waterways + wetlands.
3/4
3/4
These tiny capillaries make up 80% of the total freshwater network. Protecting them is vital to preserve wildlife, + restoring them takes much less time than with larger water bodies - generating benefits for nature much faster.
2/4
2/4
November 2, 2025 at 6:04 PM
These tiny capillaries make up 80% of the total freshwater network. Protecting them is vital to preserve wildlife, + restoring them takes much less time than with larger water bodies - generating benefits for nature much faster.
2/4
2/4
Often overlooked, small water bodies - streams, damp ditches, small bogs, ponds - support more rare species compared with larger habitats while high-quality ponds support about 2/3 of all freshwater plant + animal species in a landscape.
🧵 1/4
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
🧵 1/4
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
November 2, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Often overlooked, small water bodies - streams, damp ditches, small bogs, ponds - support more rare species compared with larger habitats while high-quality ponds support about 2/3 of all freshwater plant + animal species in a landscape.
🧵 1/4
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
🧵 1/4
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/start-w...
An effect sometimes felt most keenly in small, rural rivers where there's much less water to dilute, for instance, the amount of chemicals, cleaning products + medicines you might find in a single sewage discharge + where the river may pass through pesticide treated fields.
October 31, 2025 at 11:47 AM
An effect sometimes felt most keenly in small, rural rivers where there's much less water to dilute, for instance, the amount of chemicals, cleaning products + medicines you might find in a single sewage discharge + where the river may pass through pesticide treated fields.
European governments will now have to ask what chemicals have been added to the pesticides sprayed on food + to assess what harm they pose to people + wildlife.
October 22, 2025 at 11:59 AM
European governments will now have to ask what chemicals have been added to the pesticides sprayed on food + to assess what harm they pose to people + wildlife.
A beautiful piece - so many challenges - drought + wildfire driven by climate chany, illegal hunting, scrub + tree cover cleared as farming intensifies - beset migratory birds on all sides
October 16, 2025 at 12:08 PM
A beautiful piece - so many challenges - drought + wildfire driven by climate chany, illegal hunting, scrub + tree cover cleared as farming intensifies - beset migratory birds on all sides
Small water bodies - ponds, ditches, small fens, headwater streams, flushes - the delicate capillaries that make up 80% of water bodies, home to some of our rarest creatures - ensuring their health has an outsize benefit for wildlife
October 16, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Small water bodies - ponds, ditches, small fens, headwater streams, flushes - the delicate capillaries that make up 80% of water bodies, home to some of our rarest creatures - ensuring their health has an outsize benefit for wildlife
The salmon population of the Wye is in collapse, and Atlantic salmon are now endangered in the UK. Those bringing the court case argue the needs of intensive farming cannot be permitted to outweigh the needs of fish, wildlife + river users.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
October 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
The salmon population of the Wye is in collapse, and Atlantic salmon are now endangered in the UK. Those bringing the court case argue the needs of intensive farming cannot be permitted to outweigh the needs of fish, wildlife + river users.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
Jubb explains there's always been a balance between farming + river health, but the growing number of intensive chicken farms in the area has tipped that balance so that the river is losing out, fish are losing out, wildlife is losing out, businesses that rely on a thriving river are losing out:
October 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Jubb explains there's always been a balance between farming + river health, but the growing number of intensive chicken farms in the area has tipped that balance so that the river is losing out, fish are losing out, wildlife is losing out, businesses that rely on a thriving river are losing out:
Jubb describes the decline of the river really got going from 2016 onwards, when licenses for intensive chicken farms began to be granted in numbers not seen before - leading to a burden of phosphate + nitrate more than the river can process:
October 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Jubb describes the decline of the river really got going from 2016 onwards, when licenses for intensive chicken farms began to be granted in numbers not seen before - leading to a burden of phosphate + nitrate more than the river can process:
We spoke to Nathan Jubb, a fly fishing guide who's fished the Wye for 45 years. He describes the change he's seen in the river + the impact on fish:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
October 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
We spoke to Nathan Jubb, a fly fishing guide who's fished the Wye for 45 years. He describes the change he's seen in the river + the impact on fish:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
We're honoured the Forever Lobbying Project that Watershed was part of, led by @stephanehorel.bsky.social + in association with @corporateeurope.org has been nominated for the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize of the European Parliament.
🧵
1/3
🧵
1/3
October 6, 2025 at 11:12 AM
We're honoured the Forever Lobbying Project that Watershed was part of, led by @stephanehorel.bsky.social + in association with @corporateeurope.org has been nominated for the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize of the European Parliament.
🧵
1/3
🧵
1/3
The Teddington Direct River Abstraction is designed to suck out water from the Thames during times of drought + transport it to the Lee Valley Reservoir to use as drinking water, replacing it with treated sewage effluent. Here, @eddavey.libdems.org.uk shares his views on the plan:
September 27, 2025 at 3:39 PM
The Teddington Direct River Abstraction is designed to suck out water from the Thames during times of drought + transport it to the Lee Valley Reservoir to use as drinking water, replacing it with treated sewage effluent. Here, @eddavey.libdems.org.uk shares his views on the plan:
United Utilities was allocated £129mn to get homes with septic tanks onto main wastewater network to reduce sewage entering rivers + lakes.
- Save Windermere found the water firm underspent by £52 million
- many people unaware of their right to request a connection to main sewage network
🧵 1/2
- Save Windermere found the water firm underspent by £52 million
- many people unaware of their right to request a connection to main sewage network
🧵 1/2
September 25, 2025 at 5:23 PM
United Utilities was allocated £129mn to get homes with septic tanks onto main wastewater network to reduce sewage entering rivers + lakes.
- Save Windermere found the water firm underspent by £52 million
- many people unaware of their right to request a connection to main sewage network
🧵 1/2
- Save Windermere found the water firm underspent by £52 million
- many people unaware of their right to request a connection to main sewage network
🧵 1/2
The government's own figures show small + medium size businesses provide 61% of UK jobs + 55% of GDP. Yet their interests, the interests of the public, the interests of wildlife are continually sacrificed on the altar of letting big business do whatever they want.
4/4
4/4
September 22, 2025 at 12:19 PM
The government's own figures show small + medium size businesses provide 61% of UK jobs + 55% of GDP. Yet their interests, the interests of the public, the interests of wildlife are continually sacrificed on the altar of letting big business do whatever they want.
4/4
4/4
Tearing up environmental rules isn't even universally good for business. When huge corporations pollute waterways, it hits the myriad small businesses - cafés, pubs, hotels, angling clubs, shellfish farms, fishers, boat clubs - who depend on clean rivers.
3/4
3/4
September 22, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Tearing up environmental rules isn't even universally good for business. When huge corporations pollute waterways, it hits the myriad small businesses - cafés, pubs, hotels, angling clubs, shellfish farms, fishers, boat clubs - who depend on clean rivers.
3/4
3/4
....wanting to give businesses as much freedom as possible. Fast forward - our rivers are full of turd + Atlantic salmon are endangered in Britain. That's the reality when politicians talk about 'ripping up the red tape'.
2/4
2/4
September 22, 2025 at 12:19 PM
....wanting to give businesses as much freedom as possible. Fast forward - our rivers are full of turd + Atlantic salmon are endangered in Britain. That's the reality when politicians talk about 'ripping up the red tape'.
2/4
2/4
According to Defra, you're more likely to be exposed to nitrogen oxides if you live near a busy road, even if you live in a rural area. Here, our Watershed Pollution Map is filtered to show nitrogen oxides. You can pick out the UK highway network + towns in pollution.
share.google/tqPAHRk4D3Af...
share.google/tqPAHRk4D3Af...
September 19, 2025 at 3:20 PM
According to Defra, you're more likely to be exposed to nitrogen oxides if you live near a busy road, even if you live in a rural area. Here, our Watershed Pollution Map is filtered to show nitrogen oxides. You can pick out the UK highway network + towns in pollution.
share.google/tqPAHRk4D3Af...
share.google/tqPAHRk4D3Af...
Solutions? Better walking + cycling routes, public transport, filtration systems, keeping your car in good repair, cleaning roads - charity Stormwater Shepherds have a really good rundown of how to tackle road runoff pollution on their website:
www.stormwatershepherds.org.uk/2022/04/25/t...
www.stormwatershepherds.org.uk/2022/04/25/t...
September 19, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Solutions? Better walking + cycling routes, public transport, filtration systems, keeping your car in good repair, cleaning roads - charity Stormwater Shepherds have a really good rundown of how to tackle road runoff pollution on their website:
www.stormwatershepherds.org.uk/2022/04/25/t...
www.stormwatershepherds.org.uk/2022/04/25/t...