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June 2026 Statement

If someone was to ask what the single key message was that has come from the 4 years of water testing that has been carried out by our small group within CH&MS, it has to be the stark realisation of just how vulnerable Christchurch Harbour is. Vulnerable, primarily, because of the abuse and pressure our two major rivers are subjected to.

Christchurch Harbour is tiny (with maybe by some estimates as little as a 15th of the water volume of Poole Harbour) with a small outflow restricted further by the double high tides and the lowest tidal range of any Harbour along the central south coast. Having to deal with high levels of Nitrates (primarily (but not exclusively) leaching off farmland) and Phosphates (exacerbated by an inadequate sewage treatment infrastructure) is too much to ask the Harbour to cope with. If one examines the sheer scale of the catchment area of the Stour and the Avon it is no wonder that Christchurch Harbour needs (and deserves) a serious level of proactive protection.

30 years ago, excess sewage flows would have ended up in Poole Bay, now, in order to help protect the tourism industry that excess goes to the sewage treatment plants along the Stour, and when they can’t cope with the scale of contaminated water, it ends up heading towards our overstretched Harbour.

We are already seeing the effects of high nitrates on invasive weed and algal growth and subsequent adverse effects on the resident and migrating bird populations but add to that invisible arrival of high phosphates and forever chemicals coming down the rivers, it is easy to understand our concerns.

We have been monitoring E-Coli levels since last August and by the end of last summer they had reached very concerning levels. Those levels have eased over the winter but our weekly testing of both the Stour and Avon has shown them slowly rising, something we will be communicating to the local watersports organisations.

The new Hengistbury Head Outdoors (HHO) is planning to introduce 100’s if not 1000’s of new water sports users to the Harbour some with compromised immune systems, it is crucial that they are kept abreast of relevant data. HHO are being very proactive with decontamination procedures with people coming off the water and working with all the other water sports clubs in the vicinity to help raise awareness - whilst at the same time pushing for bathing quality standards and working with Wessex Water to get live time monitoring on site

It’s not exclusively sewage of course, there is the road system, the cattle farming and the many old landfill sites up river, but someone has to take a lead on this. The Environment Agency is massively under funded and while the recent Channel 4 docu/drama ‘Dirty Business’ will have caused the EA leadership some serious embarrassment the teams on the ground care and want to help. We see our role as collecting consistent relevant data to help keep a focus on The Harbour

Our immediate concern has been the almost total lack of concern shown by the responsible parties at BCP. Back in March 2025 following the largest protest ever held outside the Civic Centre they were presented with a 4,000 signature petition and a ‘ready to go’ Environmental Protection Policy for Christchurch Harbour. It was voted for UNANIMOUSLY at the Full Council Meeting that evening, but ever since it has been brushed under the carpet. There are too many vested interests at play but all the while Christchurch Harbour is bearing the brunt.

Things are about to heat up. On July 15th the Environment & Place Committee are to discuss ‘what to do next with the Policy’ this has got to be Christchurch’s big moment.

We intend to be there.

Martin Stewart
Chairman
CH&MS