On October 21 a team of Volunteers from Thames21 with some volunteers from the Friends of Grovelands Park spent a day in the park clearing the intrusive brambles and ivy from the wetland reed beds to ensure that the reed bed continues to work to filter the pollutants that run off from the roads from contaminating the stream. The volunteers also cleared out some of the debris and fallen logs from the stream to help it flow better. We are most grateful to Thames21 for this much needed initiative.
On Sept 17 representatives of the Friends of Grovelands Park and experts with an interest in the swans and wildfowl on the lake met with representatives of Thames Water and Thames 21 to inspect the lake and discuss the quality of the water.
Over the years the lake has been plagued by pollution caused when plumbing misconnections and road run off drain foul water into the lake. Regrettably on occasions this has even included raw sewage getting into our precious clean natural water causing a hazard to both park users and the wildlife on and around the lake. This has been caused by dodgy plumbers connecting, either by carelessness or deliberately, pipes that should drain water into the sewage system into the surface water drains.
Happily currently the quality of the water is very good and Thames Water are testing every week and have a big programme underway to inspect and check plumbing connections in the Bourne Hill area. If you live in a house on that side of the park please check to ensure that your washing machine or the shower in a loft conversion is not draining into the surface water system.