Matt Staniek

⚠️ WARNING: Not one to watch while eating.

This is treated sewage being discharged from Langdale Wastewater Treatment Works, where it enters the River Brathay.

I wouldn’t want to swallow this while out for a swim — would you?

This was taken Wednesday at 17:25

Happy Easter from United Utilities.

Today, you’ll no doubt see the shocking revelations about the mass sewage dumping that has taken place across the country in 2024. We’ve been featured in the Guardian by Sandra Laville. Windermere sewage dumping within ⬇️

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Labour has vowed to clean up Windermere – a truly historic moment.

But the fight for a sewage-free lake is not over writes Matt Staniek, founder and director of @savewindermere.bsky.social ✊ ⬇️

buff.ly/BzkesSG

New Data Exposes United Utilities’ Relentless Sewage Dumping in Windermere · Save Windermere New data reveals United Utilities dumped sewage into Windermere for 6,327 hours in 2024 alone—part of a shocking 33,410-hour pollution spree since 2020. Save Windermere exposes the truth behind corpor...

We will not stop until we have a sewage free Windermere.

Our full blog here ⬇️

www.savewindermere.com/blog/non-mai...

Big thanks to @adamvaughan.bsky.social for covering

www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...

Save Windermere remains the only voice calling for a long-term infrastructure investment plan to eliminate sewage pollution from England's largest lake once and for all. This solution has been achieved in lakes across the world — it's not a question of what’s possible, but of cost and political will

In 2024 alone, the sites surrounding Windermere discharged 6,327 hours of untreated sewage into the lake.

Don't be fooled by United Utilities' next round of investment — it isn't enough. Their plans will not protect Windermere into the future. Now, more than ever, we must demand more.

Breaking News

New data obtained by Save Windermere and analysed by Professor Peter Hammond shows that since 2020, United Utilities has dumped 33,410 hours of untreated sewage into Windermere — which is the equivalent 1,392 full days. It's worth noting there are only 1,827 days between 2020 and 2024

Interesting to see this small print on the 2025 United Utilities water bill - certain that second point’s only included due to the tireless campaigning of Matt Staniek & volunteers @savewindermere.bsky.social

#Windermerde

Watch a massively expensive bail-out being dropped on captive customers or fight against it - in the High Court? Follow the windrushwasp blog

@jennyjones.bsky.social @cleanilkley.bsky.social @savewindermere.bsky.social

Week 64 of the Strike Against Sewage

We are back outside UU’s Windermere HQ, to hold them accountable for the pollution affecting our lake

We need bold action to achieve an end to sewage pollution in Windermere. This will protect Windermere for the nation—now and forever.

This outcome was hard-won, requiring years of campaigning, media coverage, ICO complaints, and the imposition of a special enforcement measure on UU – the first ever for a UK water company.

While encouraged by UU’s new approach, we will remain vigilant. We will stand to fight for transparency again

Since the decision, UU has not only released the appeal data but has also provided additional requested information. We commend their new commitment to transparency regarding England’s largest lake.

Save Windermere worked tirelessly as a second respondent in the case, with pro-bono support from barristers Nicholas Ostrowski and Samuel Glanville.

In a major victory for Save Windermere, United Utilities (UU) has withdrawn their appeals against the ICO’s decision to release environmental information. They have also disclosed the data they were fighting to withhold.

Full statement: www.savewindermere.com/news/uu-drop...

Yesterday’s sunset over Windermere.

Photos can never truly do it justice—it really is such a remarkable place.

savewindermere.com

It is also week 63 of the Strike Against Sewage. We spent a lot of time talking about this report and the failures of the EA when it comes to protecting Windermere.

Far Sawrey WwTW Site Review and Ecological Damage on Wilfin Beck · Save Windermere The following report outlines the findings of our extensive investigation into Far Sawrey WwTW. Save Windermere asserts that the site is fundamentally not fit for purpose with several operational and ...

The full report can be read at

www.savewindermere.com/news/far-saw...

Thanks to pressure from the campaign, some improvements in maintenance have been made at the site in recent years, such as increased tankering.

However, these interventions remain incomplete and inconsistent.

🚨Breaking news🚨

We have released an in-depth report on Far Sawrey WWTW

This report explores issues including the outdated 1989 permit, ecological harm to Wilfin Beck, and evidence of stagnation in treatment standards that have potentially remained unchanged since 1978, to name just a few.

Week 62 of the Strike Against Sewage

The snow feels like it’s been and gone very quickly here in Windermere.

I cannot tell you how excited we are about a few things we have in the pipeline as we speak, so keep watching—2025 is going to be a year to remember for Save Windermere.

In the 21st century, quite a lot of classic literature has to be rewritten. And this includes, obviously, the Lake Poets, whose moving descriptions of nature have had to be updated...

➡️ Get your own Lake Poets Revisited Tea Towel: checkout.private-eye.co.uk/singleitem?i...

It's all about the money On Tuesday 17th December WASP will deliver a hard copy of a letter to the High Court that we sent by email last Thursday 12 December. We will be accompanied by our MP Charlie Maynard of the Witney Con...

We either spectate and collaborate or we challenge and fight for our waters and to save our water industry from financial predation.
WASP going with our MP Charlie Maynard to deliver the hard copy by hand to the court High Court, Strand, London 1030 Tues 17 Dec

www.windrushwasp.org/single-post/...

Week 59 of the Strike Against Sewage

With just a week until Christmas, the festive spirit is arriving at the strike! The standout ask today: All we want for Christmas is no poo in Windermere.

I wonder if @mariahcareybrasil.bsky.social would consider a rewrite?

www.savewindermere.com

One of these photos was taken recently below Ambleside wastewater treatment works, while the other two were taken in areas with only agricultural input. Can you guess which one is from below the sewage works?

Unlike other regions, Windermere isn’t surrounded by intensive dairy, poultry, or arable farming, which are major contributors to freshwater pollution elsewhere. While poor practices will exist, they aren’t the primary issue impacting Windermere’s water quality.

The image above highlights algal growth caused by excessive nutrients being discharged into the river. In addition to blue-green algae, this benthic algal growth is another clear indicator of nutrient overload.

One of these photos was taken recently below Ambleside wastewater treatment works, while the other two were taken in areas with only agricultural input. Can you guess which one is from below the sewage works?

Yesterday, we attended an MP briefing in London alongside leading experts: Professor Peter Hammond, Professor David Hall, Professor Ewan McGaughey, and the now-infamous auditor Stanley Root. They presented on the murky business of sewage and the troubling truth about where your money really goes.

This is just a year after they reported on cover-ups here in the North West.

If you missed the episode when it aired last night, we highly recommend heading to BBC iPlayer to watch it.

The BBC said "The made-up money makes the company appear more financially robust and helps to support its bumper payouts to shareholders."

We’ve always said: if sewage is being illegally dumped into Windermere, this level of exploitation is happening nationwide.

Yesterday was week 58 of the Strike Against Sewage

Joe Crowley and BBC Panorama are back with yet another eye-opening report, this time they highlight more regulatory oversights and an accounting trick that seems to have artificially inflated Severn Trent's balance sheet by over a billion pounds. ⬇️