Good news on the River Len

It is not often Southern Water receive praise for their actions. But recent investment by the water company at the River Len Local Nature Reserve in Maidstone has been singled-out as having had a 'transformational impact' upon water quality within the popular wildlife site. 

Over many years a pumped combined sewerage system serving south Maidstone had routinely surcharged after heavy rain, leaking large quantities of untreated sewage into the River Len. Even during dry weather an eye-watering sewage stench permeated the route of the pipeline and affected adjoining residential and commercial neighbourhoods. 

Maidstone Borough Councillor Tony Harwood, who chairs the nature reserve's management Committee, methodically documented and reported the pollution incidents and campaigned for infrastructure improvements. 

The breakthrough came early in 2023 when following yet another sewage leak Cllr. Harwood contacted Southern Water direct and met their engineers on site, walking the route of the problem pipeline and inspecting the leaky, smelly raised turrets and manhole covers. The Southern Water engineers suggested a range of measures, including new sealing-plates, pipe re-lining and a flue to vent gases and reduce pressure within the sewer. They subsequently prepared a detailed funding proposal, which was quickly approved through their internal bidding processes. 

Cllr. Harwood states: "The Southern Water infrastructure improvements were all delivered in recent weeks and the impact has already been transformational. No leaks or surcharging of sewage has been observed since - even during and after the recent heavy rainfall. The clarity of the river water and growth of aquatic vegetation within the nature reserve is already showing signs of recovery. "

He added: "The stink that has hung over the nature reserve and the surrounding area has also all but disappeared."

Innovation and investment in wastewater infrastructure is key to tackling the recent decline in water quality and biodiversity along the River Len. Cllr. Harwood believes that an extensive reedbed filtration system is needed to supplement Southern Water's Harrietsham Wastewater Treatment Works, highway and farm runoff should be captured in balancing ponds and ditches (rather than discharged directly into the river and its tributaries), tree and other natural vegetation cover should be increased along the course of the Len as a pollution buffer, outmoded man-made barriers such as weirs and culverts removed and measures taken to keep surface water from roads and buildings out of Maidstone's sewers (such as diverting rainwater into sustainable drainage systems and rain gardens).