来源：《每日电讯报》
原文刊登日期：2022年2月14日
Britain’s rivers used to be heavily polluted by industrial waste. The Wandle, which flows into the Thames in London, was reportedly dark blue in colour from the dye poured in by the William Morris textile factories along its banks. But many of these waterways, including the Thames itself, were cleaned up as heavy industry declined. Now, they are once again threatened, this time by the disposal of human and agricultural waste. Even some of the country’s most iconic chalk streams are harbouring high levels of toxins and pollutants in their otherwise clear waters.
英国的河流过去曾被工业废料严重污染。据报道，流入伦敦泰晤士河的万德尔河曾经是深蓝色的，这是由沿岸的威廉·莫里斯纺织厂倒入的染料造成的。但随着重工业的衰落，包括泰晤士河在内的许多水道都得到了净化。现在，它们又一次受到威胁，这次是由于人类和农业废物的排放。即使是英国最具标志性的白垩溪流，在其原本清澈的水域中也藏有大量毒素和污染物。
The number of raw sewage discharges from water firms is rising with more than 400,000 last year. The firms say they have no choice given the pressure they are under with rising populations. Excessive requirements to clean up their act would mean higher bills. Yet as we reveal some are in potential breaches of their permits which allow discharges only in times of exceptional rainfall when the network is overwhelmed.
去年，自来水公司排放未经处理污水的次数达到了40多万。这些公司表示，它们没有选择，因为它们面临着人口增长的压力。过多的要求整顿它们的行为意味着更高的费用。然而，正如我们所揭示的那样，一些污水厂可能违反了它们的排放许可，这些许可只允许在异常降雨、污水网络不堪重负的时候排放进河流。
The filth in our rivers is partly the consequence of decades of low investment in sewage plants. Most of the country’s waste water systems date to the 19th century and have hardly been upgraded since. London is installing a new “super sewer” to replace the old Bazalgette system which was designed for a city a quarter of the size it is today. Even the new sewer is unlikely to be able to cope.
我们河流中的污物部分是几十年来对污水处理厂的低投资造成的。英国大部分的废水处理系统可以追溯到19世纪，此后几乎没有进行过升级。伦敦正在安装一个新的“超级下水道”，以取代旧的巴扎尔杰特下水道系统。巴扎尔杰特下水道是为一个只有今天四分之一规模的城市设计的。但即使是新的下水道也不太可能应付。
We can, and must, do much better. To that end, we are launching a Clean Rivers campaign to reverse the damage to our waterways before they succumb once again to the sort of pollution that took decades to eradicate. We need a national plan that will transform our rivers for the benefit of future generations.
我们能够，而且必须做得更好。为此，我们发起了一项“清洁河流”运动，以扭转对我们水道的破坏，防止它们再次遭受那种要花几十年时间才根除的污染。我们需要一个全国性的计划来改变我们的河流，造福子孙后代。