Fighting for Clean Water in Gledhow Valley Woods

A petition calling for an end to water pollution in Gledhow Beck has reached over 2,000 signatures. 

The petition was published by the Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods, a group of volunteers who maintain and develop Gledhow Valley Woods. The group calls on Yorkshire Water, Leeds City Council, and the Environment Agency to improve water quality in Gledhow Beck by fixing misconnections which occur when household waste is incorrectly plumbed into the surface water system. This leads to household sewage and wastewater being released directly into Gledhow Beck. 

The pollution in Gledhow Beck is also caused by road run-off and by combined sewage overflows, which are relief valves which release sewage into waterways during heavy rain. In 2024 alone, the four combined sewage overflows in Gledhow Valley Woods discharged sewage into the beck for almost 400 hours. A report published by the Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods also cites the council’s practice of flushing water from the roadside gulleys directly into the beck as a major factor.

According to David Miles, Community Engagement Lead for the Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods, the group’s campaigning has already yielded results, with Yorkshire Water increasing the capacity of the combined sewage overflows and agreeing to investigate missed connections in the beck. 

However, Miles believes that more significant action is needed: “[Yorkshire Water] need to change their practices and spend money to remedy the situation. We want to see meaningful change: less E.coli in the water, less sewage discharge, the return of the crayfish, and the beck and the lake becoming healthy water bodies.” Yorkshire Water were approached for comment but did not respond. 

The Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods monitor water pollution through their Citizen Science project, in which volunteers are trained to test water quality. The project is run in conjunction with water@leeds, the University of York, and Water Rangers. The Citizen Scientists have found high levels of E.coli in Gledhow Beck, as well as a low level of aquatic invertebrates, which can be an indicator of poor water quality. 

According to Claire Louise Johnson, 66, a retired teacher involved in the Citizen Science project, “the aim of doing the sampling is to try and put pressure on Yorkshire Water to clean their act up and also put pressure on local residents to make sure they’ve got the right connections…as a community we need to look after [Gledhow Valley Woods]”. 

Kate Saul, 61, a retired primary school teacher and volunteer with the Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods, is concerned about the impact of water quality on wildlife: “If that water’s not polluted anymore, you’re going to get such a fantastic range of wildlife back into the lake and the stream”. Returning species may include the native White-Clawed Crayfish, which is currently in decline due to the introduction of the non-native North American Crayfish. 

If you would like to sign the petition, you can do so here. To join the Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods, you can see their website for information on their volunteering sessions and meetings.