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Background

CamRhee is a supporter of the Harston River Rhee group to protect and  maintain the quality of the water in the river and as a protector of the environment of the related flood plain. By association it includes Hoffer Brook as the other significant water course that bounds the South side of Harston.

The Challenge

The river is changing in nature; climate change and increased urbanisation are putting stress on the water systems.

Firstly the flow rates are becoming more variable due to:

a). Lower water levels in aquifers upstream that mean that surface water or effluent discharge become an increasing part of normal flow.

b). Climate change causing levels of rainfall to be more variable.

Secondly the quality of the water is being affected by inefficient effluent treatment plants and bad effluent pipe systems that are causing leakages of untreated effluent; a system that periodically becomes overloaded and/or breaks-down. In addition it is believed that legacy commercial activities may still be having an influence on surface water and ditches around Harston.