Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke, met up with John Sutton of the Environment Agency and Dr Alan Gibberd of Countrywatch recently to see the locations of the two proposed gauges to monitor the flow on the River Loddon at Old Basing.

The project to install the gauges is a partnership between the Borough Council and the Environment Agency, with the Council funding the installation of the gauges and the Environment Agency the maintenance and data handling. The gauges will provide information on river flows which in turn will help with water quality information.

Maria had the opportunity to see some of the ways in which the health of the river can be monitored, and was updated by the Environment Agency on the work they are doing to implement the Water Framework Directive. Consultations on how to bring about improvements in the river quality will be launched by the Environment Agency in the Spring.

Maria said: “Our river is polluted and is failing to meet its environmental objectives. It is essential that long term improvements are put in place very soon to meet these legal standards.”

She added: “It is important that people who are concerned to improve the health of the River Loddon take part in the Environment Agency consultation when it is launched early next year.”