THE fight to stop Mere's rivers from running dry has secured the support of South West MEP Julie Girling.

Mrs Girling has pledged to work with local MP Andrew Murrison to find out why local watercourses became critically low last year and whether water extraction by Wessex Water added to the problem.

Mere's River Shreen and Ashfield Water fell to their lowest levels in living memory, with several stretches running completely dry. Despite calls from local residents reporting dried-up riverbeds and dead fish, Wessex Water continued to extract eight million litres of water per day from the underground aquifers that feed the streams. The company put no restrictions on its customers' use of water and the Environment Agency took no action to reduce water extraction in the area.

Mrs Girling travelled to Mere last Friday to meet with concerned residents and town council chairman Mary White.

During the meeting, Mere residents stressed their concerns about the impact the dwindling water levels are having on wildlife and the local tourist industry.

Mrs Girling said even if the meagre water levels are a result of low rainfall, Wessex Water has a legal obligation to mitigate against environmental damage.

She described the water company's offer of a trial period of reduced extraction, on the proviso that rivers return to their full level so data is not compromised, as "illogical".

"The sensible conclusion is that if there isn't enough recharge for them to do the study, then it is going to dry up again," she added.

There is also concern that the Environment Agency and Wessex Water have classified Mere's streams as winterbornes and are, therefore, accepting that they will dry up in the summer.

Hydrologist Colin Clarke is convinced that the watercourses are perennial as they feature on Ordnance Survey maps.

Mrs Girling said she would seek clarification on the classification of the affected watercourses and find out what action the Environment Agency is taking to protect them.

"It is the Environment Agency's duty to safeguard watercourses. If levels are dropping because of climate change, they should be asking Wessex Water to revise extraction rates," she said.

"The bottom line is that, whatever the cause, for a large chunk of the year there is no water flowing. Wessex Water accepts that there is work to be done here and it may be that they have to change their extraction patterns."

Mathew Manning

mmanning@bvmedia.co.uk