The River Chess Association is urging people to avoid the river downstream of the sewage treatment works in Chesham.

The Association believe that Thames Water have 'yet again' released sewage into the river from the sewage treatment works.

They stated that they received no notification from the company and are receiving limited information from them about whether a discharge event occurred.

Thames Water responded to the association and according to the group said: "We believe we discharged storm flows from site yesterday early morning [Sunday] and for some hours.

"We are not discharging storm flows this morning, but our storm tanks are full."

The group were frustrated that they couldn't advise people to avoid the river.

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They've now advised dog walkers, volunteers, and the public to do so.

One Facebook user said: "I believe last year Thames Water were fined a huge amount of money for doing this, the Environment Agency should be notified and our local councillors should start to put pressure on Thames Water to stop this disgusting release happening.

"Is there no other hygienic method that they could install? This is a real health hazard."

Another commenter was also unhappy with the alleged incident, they said: "Thames Water should be fined and made to sort it all out. Nonchalant low-lifes."

Thames Water have responded, in a statement they said:The volume of sustained heavy rainfall meant that in order to prevent flooding to peoples homes, and once all our storage capacity at the works was filled, some heavily diluted wastewater was allowed to overflow into the river system.

"Of course this is undesirable, but we only do so when there is no other alternative.

"It is the way the system is designed to operate and is permitted by the Environment Agency under these circumstances.

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'Nonchalant lowlifes' - Thames Water accused of releasing sewage into River Chess - Bucks Free Press