Councillors have united over concerns the River Tame is bursting with harmful microplastics as a result of sewage dumping.

A motion presented to Tameside’s full council calling for more action to be taken to stop sewage being discharged by water companies has been unanimously backed by members from all parties.

Water companies are permitted to release untreated wastewater when the pipes in their plants are overwhelmed by excess rainwater.

But a research study in Greater Manchester found that there were increased concentrations of plastic immediately downstream of treatment works.

The most contaminated site was at the River Tame where the team found there were 130 particles of microplastics for every gram of sediment, meaning high levels of contamination.

Councillor Allison Gwynne, cabinet member for the environment, said legislation that regulates the activity of water companies ‘really does need updating’.

“It is not acceptable to discharge untreated sewage and other inland water bodies,” she told councillors.

“These intermittent discharges from sewer outflows and waste water treatment works are regulated by the Environment Agency.

“However the level of fines paid by water companies demonstrates that it is far too often that these level of exceptional circumstances are breached and shows a need for investment in the infrastructure to prevent this from happening, and certainly to prevent this from happening in the River Tame.

“The biodiversity that is along the River Tame is enjoyed by so many residents and visitors, but so much needs to be done to tackle the hazardous condition of the water itself and United Utilities have an awful lot more than they need to be doing.”

Coun Barrie Holland, who represents Droylsden West, seconded the motion but said he wished it had gone further, and called for the return of water supply and treatment into public ownership.

“Water companies discharge sewage into rivers more than 400,000 times,” Coun Holland.

He described companies that discharge as behaving like an ‘environmental barbarian’.

Denton South Coun Claire Reid said: “For 20 months the Tame Valley has been used by local people and those further afield for their exercise and for their physical and mental wellbeing.

“And yet again it’s so upsetting to see reports regarding people from outside our area that are neglecting the Tame Valley, it’s just not acceptable.”

The borough’s only Green councillor, Lee Huntbach, said: “Flushing yet more microplastics into our rivers, along with the sewage, wet wipes and condoms is a disaster for our wildlife and for biodiversity.

“And let us not forget that the River Tame leads into the Mersey which deposits any escaping detritus into the Irish Sea.

“The bill should be supported, yes, but what we really need and what the planet needs is publicly owned waterways.”

However while the motion was supported by all parties, Tory councillors were critical of it being brought to the chamber as they said the legislation it was calling for had already received Royal assent, and discussing it locally was a ‘waste of time’.

Conservative Coun Liam Billington, who represents Stalybridge South, said it was a ‘smokescreen for the failures of this council’.

The chief executive has been asked to the Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Affairs George Eustice, expressing support for the Duke of Wellington’s Bill which would place a duty on water companies to ensure that untreated sewage is not discharged into rivers.

As per the wording of the motion they will also write to the Environment Agency asking for an explanation of ‘why the regulatory framework has failed to prevent the River Tame suffering the highest level of microplastics in the world’.

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