1 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,959 Privatised water is a better deal 2 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,360 than nationalised water. INDISTINCT HECKLING 3 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,440 TODDLER BABBLES 4 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:55,759 Lewis, what did I tell you about that seaweed? 5 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:57,160 Do not throw it. 6 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,040 CHILDREN SQUEAL AND GIGGLE 7 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:05,119 Are you hungry? 8 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,159 What do you fancy? 9 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:08,279 Ice cream. 10 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,039 No! No. We just got here, you wally. 11 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,399 Yeah, we'll get it on the way back to the chalet. All right? 12 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:14,999 Yeah, we'll get it... we'll get it later. 13 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,800 There, isn't it? I did promise you. I will, I promise. 14 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,479 Girls, wait, please! Heather, stop! 15 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:31,720 Bloody hell! 16 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,280 Heather, I told you to stop, didn't I? 17 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,920 I think that's poo. Of course it's not poo. 18 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:43,919 It stinks. 19 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:44,999 It wasn't poo. 20 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,279 Don't... Don't go in. 21 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,159 All right. Don't go in like that. 22 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:50,399 How far shall I go? 23 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:51,959 Go as far as you can. 24 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:53,399 All right. All right, love. All right, love. 25 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,919 It's all up her legs. Wash it off. 26 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:56,959 Scrub it. You what? 27 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:58,439 Scrub it. All right. 28 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,159 Here, Heather... Have I got it? 29 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:01,719 Don't you think...? 30 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,919 Did you get it off her? You what? 31 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:05,119 Did you get it off her? 32 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:06,759 Yeah, I think so. 33 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,799 Get a towel. Here, get her dry. 34 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,759 Here. There you go. I've got a smelly little mermaid. 35 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:13,439 Still smells, that. 36 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:14,799 I like... 37 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,559 Is that ticklish? Yeah. 38 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,079 Let's do the other one. How about that one? 39 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:20,359 No. No. 40 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:21,640 Oh, look at that. 41 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,319 What is quite remarkable, really, that most of the freshwater fish 42 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,839 in England was just on this stretch. 43 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,840 Seriously. Including the chub. The chub came later, of course. 44 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:51,839 They're gone. What? The chub? 45 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,240 The chub, the barbel, the eels, everything. 46 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:00,400 Well, yes, I mean the water is brown. 47 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,559 You don't really think about the colour 48 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,079 when you see it every day. 49 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,999 I mean, the brown here just seems normal. 50 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:12,040 Yes. 51 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,239 Do you and Eileen still do that water vole register thing? 52 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:17,559 No that's... 53 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,320 No, that... They're gone as well. 54 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,119 Mean, I remember when I first came here 55 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,800 that it was crystalline, wasn't it? 56 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:52,599 You never talk about your work. 57 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,719 Well, I'd have to, you know. 58 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,159 It's part of the training. 59 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,759 It's not sort of, you know, dinner conversation. 60 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,999 No, it's not like I'm a... I'm a Russian spy, am I? 61 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,679 You know, I'm not working for Putin, am I? 62 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,599 That makes me wonder. Now, why would you say that? 63 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,879 That's a bit... You investigated bent coppers, wasn't it? 64 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,519 Yeah, 25 years. Well, come on, 25 years - 65 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,239 You must have... you must have some stories, mustn't you? 66 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:18,320 Not really. 67 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,079 Why don't you have the game pie? I don't like game pie. 68 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:23,679 Shall we get some mixed greens? 69 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,119 No, I'm just having the soup and the crusty bread. 70 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:28,279 That sounds nice. 71 00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:30,239 Maybe that's extra, isn't it? No, no, no. 72 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,079 That's right. Yes. 73 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:33,559 There will have been 74 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:37,760 some minor discolouration in one or two sections of the river. 75 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,479 There's, um... There's been a discharge from the Burford Works. 76 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,759 A discharge? Discharge of what? 77 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:47,999 Er, untreated sewage. Yeah. 78 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,119 Legally, they're allowed to spill after heavy rainfall. 79 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:52,200 Ahem. 80 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:55,879 So they can... they can... they can just do that. 81 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:57,359 That's what he said. 82 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:02,359 They're allowed to dump untreated sewage into the river 83 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:03,919 right after heavy rain. 84 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,199 But that can't be right. Because it rains all the time. 85 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:08,599 Well, heavy rain, he said. 86 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,719 I don't remember any heavy rain, do you? 87 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,239 I'm going to write to Thames Water 88 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,879 and ask how many times they've put sewage into the Windrush. 89 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:17,359 They're not going to tell you that. 90 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,160 Oh, yeah, yeah, they've got to. It's the law. 91 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,839 {\an8}"Dear Mr Smith, no untreated sewage has been discharged into 92 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:27,559 {\an8}"the River Windrush for the past three years. 93 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,119 {\an8}"Untreated sewage mixed with treated sewage 94 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,119 {\an8}"has been discharged 240 times." 95 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:34,159 {\an8}"Kind regards." 96 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,839 When did that come in? When did it come in that you could 97 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:40,919 put untreated sewage into the river, per se? 98 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:42,199 I don't see how 99 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:46,359 putting any kind of pathogens into the river could possibly be allowed. 100 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,319 I mean, people are swimming in there. 101 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:49,639 "Dear Mr Smith, 102 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,119 "in response to your request for information, 103 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:54,639 "please find attached the documents below. 104 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:55,879 "Kind regards." 105 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:57,639 Wankers. 106 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:02,279 This must be like one of your cases, mustn't it, all this, 107 00:06:02,280 --> 00:06:04,719 when you used to be a detective? 108 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:06,119 No. 109 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,359 But, you know, poisonous stuff 110 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,999 in the river, and we're not being warned about it, 111 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,720 that'd be a... that'd be a scandal. 112 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:30,359 It's a tummy bug, 48-hour thing. Plenty of liquids. 113 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,599 I'll give you some anti-sickness tablets just to stop the vomiting. 114 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:34,920 OK. Of course. 115 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,719 Heather? I'm here. 116 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,879 The doctor said you've got to take your medicine now. 117 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,120 Let's see. 118 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,319 Close your eyes if you want, Mum. 119 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,280 Yeah. Keep them closed. There you go. 120 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:51,799 Well, exactly. 121 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:53,599 No. They said you treated sewage 122 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,799 mixed with untreated sewage 240 times. 123 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:57,119 Yeah. 124 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,080 JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS 125 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,559 This is free jazz, is it? 126 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,159 Um, no. It's not free jazz. It's contemporary jazz. 127 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,440 It's nothing like free jazz. Right. 128 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,719 And people pay money to listen to that. 129 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,039 Did you just come around to piss me off? 130 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,639 No, I'm going to show you something. 131 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:27,959 Look at this. 132 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,519 So, what is this? Er, this is... 133 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,599 Is this a reply from Thames Water? 134 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,519 They're drowning me in numbers. Oh, I can see that. 135 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,119 I mean, how are you supposed to make anything of that crap? 136 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,519 Well, maybe... maybe that's what they're banking on. 137 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:42,119 There's a needle in there somewhere. 138 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,319 Just, you know, go through the haystack to find it. 139 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:46,839 You're the Oxford professor of mathematics. 140 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,399 No. Computational biology. 141 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,599 It's not, um... Still maths. 142 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,479 It's not. It's machine learning, actually. 143 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:54,879 So what's that? Like AI? 144 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:56,279 I know you're going to take the piss, 145 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,479 but it's... a bit like free jazz. 146 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:00,079 Oh. 147 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,599 Depressing and pointless. 148 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,999 Er, no. No. There's rules. 149 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,919 So there's a kind of order beneath the chaos. 150 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:12,279 And you've got to listen really hard for the patterns. 151 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:16,280 Why don't you just email me these and I'll take a look. 152 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,560 JAZZ PLAYS 153 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:41,240 Fuck me. 154 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,439 These, what you've given me, they're flow numbers. 155 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,519 They track the sewage coming into 156 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:54,959 the works and the rate at which it's treated 157 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,239 so it's safe to go back into the river. 158 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,559 But there's something weird about this. 159 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:03,079 Yeah. 160 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,159 What? Well, here, look. 161 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,239 Now, on the 27th of December, 162 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,999 {\an8}the flow of treated effluent coming out of the works just stops. 163 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,679 {\an8}It just stops completely. Right. What do you mean it stops? 164 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:17,919 {\an8}The flow just stops. 165 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,959 {\an8}There's no... there's no treated effluent going back into the river. 166 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,559 {\an8}So two days after Christmas, 167 00:09:24,560 --> 00:09:27,119 {\an8}the people of Burford stopped going to the toilet. 168 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:28,879 {\an8}No, no, see, this is it. 169 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,560 {\an8}Because the raw sewage is still going into the works... 170 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,000 {\an8}...but there's nothing coming out. 171 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,400 {\an8}Now, that's just not right. 172 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:43,799 So what do we do? I don't know, 173 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,799 we go back to them and say, give us a bit more detail. 174 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,599 Is that Ashley and Peter? Yes. Yes, yes. 175 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:51,279 Well, thanks so much for taking my call. 176 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,479 {\an8}It's Commander Aylard here. 177 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,079 {\an8}External affairs and sustainability at Thames. 178 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:58,479 Richard, lovely to speak with you. 179 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,919 Listen, I thought, well, why not get on the old dog and bone...? 180 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:02,919 Well, we appreciate you calling. Thank you. 181 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,159 Not at all. Having our feet held to the fire like this is the thing 182 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:06,479 that keeps us focused. 183 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:07,599 Yeah. What we've been doing, 184 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,999 we've been asking about this anomaly in the flow data. 185 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,759 On the 27th of December, there's no treated effluent 186 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:17,119 going back into the river. 187 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,359 Yeah. Nobody seems to be able to explain why that is. 188 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,359 It's taken too long to get to the bottom of this. 189 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:27,559 I've had to put some rockets up a few jacksies, frankly. 190 00:10:27,560 --> 00:10:32,279 Turns out the flow metres at Burford were on the blink. 191 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,359 Heavy rain. The sewage flow was normal, 192 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:40,039 but the... the sensors weren't generating any data. 193 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:45,720 Safe to assume the people of Burford did not stop discharging. 194 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:50,840 The measurements were temporarily interrupted. 195 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:53,879 And we'd like to invite you 196 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:57,399 on a tour of the Burford works. 197 00:10:57,400 --> 00:10:59,519 It's just strange, isn't it, that, 198 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:03,199 um, all of the sensors stopped working at that one point? 199 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,359 We can't think of any other explanation, frankly. 200 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,999 But you know, I won't be there, regrettably. 201 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,159 But Leonie will be there, and you'll be in very good hands. 202 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:12,839 You know, of course, we'd like to do more. 203 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,039 But the challenge is 204 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,279 that Burford's sewers are basically Victorian. 205 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,679 Does anyone actually work here? 206 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:21,759 It's an unmanned facility. 207 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:23,840 It should be unpeopled really, shouldn't it? 208 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,519 Did they have unpeopled works in Victorian times? 209 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:29,559 Good lord, no. 210 00:11:29,560 --> 00:11:34,119 But we do have a state-of-the-art network of sensors which track 211 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,919 all the treated fluid and effluent through the works. 212 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,559 So nobody... nobody works here. 213 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:44,599 The sensors automatically transmit data 214 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:49,119 to our waste operation control centre in Reading 24 hours a day. 215 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:50,159 Right. 216 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:51,880 {\an8}That's what we call the telemetry. 217 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,319 {\an8}And what happens if something breaks down? 218 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:58,439 Oh, so our works are serviced 219 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,919 by a team of mobile engineers. 220 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,559 If a piece of kit malfunctions, 221 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:05,519 a trigger will sensor an alarm 222 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,279 and an engineer is dispatched within two hours. 223 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:09,440 Oh, right. Oh. 224 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:14,120 Oh, in here is where the engineers logbooks live. 225 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,759 They keep a record of anything 226 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:19,239 that happens in one of these. 227 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,239 But the stuff up here, this is the really exciting part. 228 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:22,839 So this is all the live, 229 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,679 real time data being uploaded from the plants. 230 00:12:26,680 --> 00:12:29,559 Yes, I can see it's quite extensive, isn't it? 231 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:33,959 You can see the information coming through, can't you? 232 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:35,239 Mm. Yeah. 233 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,279 It's funny because, like, you know, all the data's being pumped out. 234 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,439 You can see it, but actually no-one's looking at it. 235 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,839 You could save a bit of electricity there, couldn't you? 236 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,399 What's that over there? You've got... a cafe? 237 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,359 No, that is our dedicated breakout zone, 238 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,919 you know, for teas, coffees, relaxation. 239 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,919 Um, yeah. Inviting. Inviting, isn't it? 240 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,319 Yeah. No. It's nice, I like it. 241 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,799 It's just nobody's here to enjoy the tea. 242 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:01,919 Oh, no. No. Well, thank God. 243 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:03,440 That would mean something's going wrong. 244 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:06,039 All right. Thank you. 245 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,359 Great. Yeah. Great. 246 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,799 Oh, sorry. There's a hole there. 247 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:15,159 Did anyone mention that we'd been invited to the town hall in Burford? 248 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:16,519 The commander wants us all there. 249 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:18,879 It's really exciting, actually. You know, we think it's important 250 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,800 that we hold our hands up when mistakes are made. 251 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:30,880 God! Did you see her... see her face? Like, "You do like..." 252 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,159 I can't believe it. 253 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:35,999 And we can ask for all the telemetry. 254 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:37,799 You know, they've got to give it to us. 255 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,239 That's... that's hundreds of thousands of data points, 256 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:42,959 and everything that goes on in the works. 257 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,799 No, no, just try not to get too excited. 258 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,479 Well, I'm just saying. 259 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,280 I'm just saying. Calm down. 260 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,279 OK. Have you been giving her plenty of liquids? 261 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:00,359 Yes. Yeah. Been keeping her warm? 262 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:01,479 Yes. Yeah. 263 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,559 Did everything you said. OK. And are there any more symptoms? 264 00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:05,880 Yes. 265 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,999 She's been bleeding from her backside, Doctor. 266 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,160 I'm calling an ambulance. 267 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,359 So, look, I've got the telemetry for Burford. 268 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,959 And I've deciphered the engineers' handwriting. 269 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:29,159 27th of December. Engineer's name is Michael Lazarus. 270 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,759 ALARM BEEPS 271 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:37,519 It turns out here that at 5.08 on the morning of the 27th, 272 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,079 the alarm got triggered at the works. 273 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,839 The communications had failed. 274 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,959 But it must have been intermittent, 275 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:50,239 because at 6.08 the centre got a message to say 276 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,159 that both the main inlet pumps had failed. 277 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:56,159 TWO ALARMS ECHO 278 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:01,559 Then at 8.16, another alarm was triggered. 279 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:02,639 THREE ALARM BLAST 280 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,320 The storm tank was overflowing. 281 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,560 And that's when the dumping started. 282 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:13,479 So the pumps have packed up, the storm tank's overflowing. 283 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,439 You've got three alarms sounding. 284 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,880 Obviously, they've dispatched an engineer. 285 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:21,519 Not for 5.5 hours. 286 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:22,879 ALARMS BLAST 287 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:24,240 Fuck! 288 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:39,600 I don't need this shit. 289 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:47,279 Storm tanks filled to the top. 290 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,039 All the sewage is flushing into the river. 291 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,199 ALARMS BLAST 292 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:53,560 Set. 293 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,599 Return liquor pump reset. 294 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:02,360 Might fail again. 295 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:06,240 Don't know how long this is going to hold. 296 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:08,960 Trying my best here. 297 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:11,239 Everything's failing. 298 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,799 He did what he could to patch things up, 299 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,039 but by then it's been dumping sewage into 300 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,519 the Windrush for over five hours. 301 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,959 And we know, we know that there wasn't any 302 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,559 heavy rainfall like Aylard said, 303 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,719 because it didn't even rain on that day. 304 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:31,919 Yeah. And then the oxidation tank failed on the 28th. 305 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,639 The rotation arms packed up on the 29th. 306 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:37,439 Burford was falling apart. 307 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:38,879 Couldn't handle all the sewage it was taking in, 308 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:42,559 so it was just flushing everything into the river. 309 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,479 And I feel that Mick is the kind 310 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:48,159 of person who's in the habit of telling the truth, don't you? 311 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,680 Yeah. What about Commander Aylard? 312 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,040 MONITOR BEEPS 313 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:06,359 The results are back from the lab. It's quite serious. 314 00:17:06,360 --> 00:17:09,040 Heather has been infected with E coli... 315 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,040 ...the most aggressive strain - O157. 316 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,039 We're going to keep her comfortable, keep an eye on her, 317 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:22,040 and hope that it passes through sleep. 318 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:25,959 It's possible that the virus 319 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,479 could attack Heather's kidney functions, 320 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:31,600 which might have serious consequences for other organs. 321 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,679 ALARM BEEPS 322 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,359 This was really about a temporary 323 00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:45,359 malfunction to the alarm, 324 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:47,279 we think at least partly caused by 325 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:48,799 the heavy rainfall that day, 326 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,679 rather than any actual interruption to the treatment process. 327 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,319 So what I'd like to do... Sorry. 328 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,519 Can I, um, can I say a few words, Commander? 329 00:17:58,520 --> 00:17:59,599 Yes. Of course. 330 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,239 There was no heavy rain. 331 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,080 Um. In fact, um... 332 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:06,879 ...it didn't rain at all. 333 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:08,879 If you'll bear with me. 334 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,959 What I have here is the engineer's logbooks. 335 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:16,119 The engineer is called Michael Lazarus. 336 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:20,479 And what you can see from Mr Lazarus's logs is that 337 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:25,319 the alarms were, in effect, functioning as normal. 338 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,879 They were triggered as soon as the flooding began. 339 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,999 But the thing is, Mr Lazarus was not dispatched to the works 340 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,519 for more than five hours. 341 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:36,559 The plant was falling apart. 342 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:39,159 It couldn't treat the sewage it was taking in, 343 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:44,120 and so it was just pumping it all out directly into the river. 344 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,319 Well, um, thanks so much, Ash. 345 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:55,919 And to you, Peter. It does look as though I've been misinformed, 346 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,799 and I intend to get to the bottom of this. 347 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,799 And I'll be putting my thumb on whoever's... 348 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,039 So what are you going to do about what these two gentlemen have said? 349 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,199 What's going to happen now? I think that we are both shocked, 350 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:12,119 absolutely shocked to hear that information, because... 351 00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:15,719 You've said one thing. They've actually backed up with evidence 352 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:17,759 something completely the opposite. 353 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:19,199 Our river... 354 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:22,959 you're just dumping in and just covering everything up. 355 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:23,999 And making money. 356 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,439 And what what's the long-term problems for the wildlife, 357 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:28,879 the fish and the birds? 358 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:32,839 What's happening with those? The ecological welfare of our rivers 359 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:37,159 and our waterways is something that we find incredibly important. 360 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,559 And what are you doing? Nothing. You're polluting our water. 361 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,039 I wouldn't even let my dog swim in the river now. 362 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:47,759 It's disgusting. It is a highest, highest priority 363 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:50,319 that we will be fixing this as soon as possible. 364 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:51,479 I can assure you, 365 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:55,719 from all of us at Thames Water, we are working night and day... 366 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:57,479 I think we need to have a debrief. 367 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,359 I do, I do as well. All right, thank you, sir. 368 00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:00,519 Thank you for um... Thank you. 369 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:02,840 Thank you. Thank you very much for our meeting. Thank you. 370 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,479 Shall we go outside? Yes. 371 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:09,120 I think he just lied to us. 372 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,199 Just straight up and down to our faces. 373 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,479 Well, no. He said he was misinformed. 374 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:16,199 Princess Diana's equerry. 375 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:17,919 I mean... What is that, by the way? 376 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:19,879 I don't know. 377 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:21,839 It helps when people lie. 378 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,240 It's how you know they've got something to hide. 379 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,319 I mean, it's ammonia 380 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,239 we need to keep an eye out because that's going 381 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,559 to read high right after they've dumped the sewage. 382 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:51,759 Fuck me. It's... it is actually like one of your cases, isn't it? 383 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:53,359 Not really. No. 384 00:20:53,360 --> 00:20:57,719 It's more real-time monitoring of the river. 385 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:59,840 And the outflow pipes as well. 386 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:05,839 So the question is, is Burford acting alone? 387 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,759 Because there's what, seven... Seven. 388 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,639 Seven works along the Windrush. 389 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,359 So we need to know if Burford is an outlier. 390 00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:17,559 You know, a single failing plant. 391 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:22,079 Like a lone assassin, just killing everything that lives in the water. 392 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,399 Or are there more like Burford? 393 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:28,439 Well, I mean, I suppose I could order... order the telemetry 394 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,160 and get it for all of them. Yeah. 395 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:43,080 Dear EIR team, I would be grateful if you could supply... 396 00:21:56,560 --> 00:22:01,560 Your sincerely, Professor Peter Hammond. 397 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:09,240 I can't find a pulse. 398 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:14,760 Is there nothing? 399 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,080 That's weird. 400 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,240 No, I can't feel anything. No. 401 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,560 Somebody call for help! Get help. Can we get a doctor in here, please? 402 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:38,319 What have you done to your finger? 403 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:39,760 Oh, I don't know. 404 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:42,999 I woke up this morning, it was like that. 405 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:44,039 It feels a bit weird. 406 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:46,319 Well, don't you think that Charlie should take a look at that? 407 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:47,999 I mean, she is... she is a chemist, isn't she? 408 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:49,919 I know she's a chemist. I live with her. 409 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:51,399 OK, so you know that they sent me 410 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:55,879 all these data flows from the works at Witney and at Church Hanborough. 411 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,559 Yeah. But what I've done is I've converted 412 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:02,600 the programme that I built for the foetal alcohol kids. 413 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,399 What happened there was that the mothers, 414 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,079 they were being paid in wine, 415 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:14,880 so most of their children had foetal alcohol syndrome. 416 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:17,959 {\an8}What I did was that I took... 417 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:22,120 {\an8}I took thousands of photographs of these FAS kids. 418 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,359 And so by showing the machine, hundreds of these faces 419 00:23:27,360 --> 00:23:30,959 of these unborn children, we taught it to spot the features 420 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,720 of foetal alcohol syndrome in the womb. 421 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,479 So when the programme sees it in a scan, 422 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,719 then it can tell the doctor straight away, 423 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,080 and then they can start helping the mother and the kid. 424 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,959 Now, Burford does most of its heavy-lifting during early morning, 425 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,039 just before everyone goes to work, and then again 426 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,799 in the evening, when they come back home. 427 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,319 So we can see the flows of treated effluent hitting 428 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:09,039 the daily peaks and troughs. 429 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,879 Now, that's when the penny dropped. 430 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:16,799 The thing is, that is just like the contours 431 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,159 on a baby's face. 432 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,039 By showing the machine 433 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:24,119 nine years of this flow data, 434 00:24:24,120 --> 00:24:28,399 I've taught it to recognise when the usual flows, 435 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:30,919 they don't... they don't show up. 436 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,119 When the everyday flows are missing, 437 00:24:34,120 --> 00:24:37,079 well, they're not treating the sewage. 438 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,679 And if they're not treating the sewage, 439 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,479 there's nowhere for it to go. Except... Into the river. 440 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,400 Except into the river. 441 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:10,240 {\an8}We've decided to transfer Heather to the Bristol Hospital for children. 442 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,439 {\an8}It's one of the best in the country. 443 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:15,000 {\an8}They'll be able to look after her there. 444 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:17,920 It's getting bigger, I think. 445 00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:21,399 Have you been in the river again? Yeah. Yeah. 446 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,639 Did you have any cuts? 447 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,559 Yeah. I, er... 448 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:28,839 I pricked my finger on a thorn when I was setting up the camera. 449 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:30,799 Before or after you went into the river? 450 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:32,720 Before. Right. 451 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,439 So if there's a pathogen in the water, 452 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:41,840 you've given it direct entry into your bloodstream. 453 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:44,359 Is that bad? 454 00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:48,480 It's bad, you muppet. You need antibiotics. 455 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,679 You know, a lot of sewage has drugs in it, 456 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:55,119 and if they mix with bacteria, 457 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:59,399 then the bacteria becomes antibiotic resistant, 458 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,959 which means that the antibiotics might not work on you. 459 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:07,479 So they might have to try different types of medication on you. 460 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:08,999 Oh, God. 461 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:10,200 Hold on. 462 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:14,919 What's that? What are you doing? 463 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,239 I'm just drawing on you. 464 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,280 Why? Because if it... If it gets bigger, then we will know. 465 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:24,959 That looks worse now. 466 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:28,879 So that's where she drew the marker. And that's how much bigger 467 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:30,799 it's got gone in, like, two days. 468 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:32,199 Bloody hell! And that is just 469 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,199 from putting your hand in the river. 470 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,919 Yep. I'm an idiot. We know that. 471 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,839 But, I mean, if it's doing that to your hand, 472 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:41,959 just think about what it's doing to all the creatures 473 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:43,079 that live in the river. 474 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,799 Exactly. What was it you wanted to show me? 475 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:48,159 Oh, yeah. Well, you know, I've got all this data through from 476 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,559 Northleach. You know, we went to the Wheatsheaf there. 477 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:53,839 Oh, yeah. That was overpriced for what it was. 478 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,799 Well, you thought so, but... Anyway, look, 479 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,079 they must have sent this by mistake 480 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,319 because I'm pretty sure they haven't read it. Why? 481 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:02,479 Why do you say that? 482 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:05,639 Because it says here that the works at Northleach, 483 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,760 they haven't treated any sewage for three and a half months. 484 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,599 So... so either the good people of Northridge 485 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,439 have been holding it in for three and a half months, or... 486 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:20,639 I know they did not do that because I have the logbooks, 487 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:25,000 and Northleach is on Michael Lazarus's beat. 488 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,359 Fucking hate my life. 489 00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:31,520 ALARM BLASTS, ELECTRICITY CRACKLES 490 00:27:36,360 --> 00:27:37,400 Fuck. 491 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,200 Storm tank high alarm sounding for nearly 48 hours now. 492 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:59,120 All four biofilters not rotating. No flow coming into the works. 493 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:15,800 Fuck's sake! Of course... 494 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,480 ALARMS CONTINUE 495 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:30,280 Site's still heavily flooded. 496 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:37,000 Roadside flooding believed to have been caused by this. 497 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:40,840 Oh! Fuck off! 498 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:44,439 Oh, for fuck's sake! 499 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,720 ALARMS CONTINUE 500 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:50,360 Ughhh. 501 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:55,280 Yeah. Liam. Yeah. Listen, mate, I'm at Northleach. 502 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,399 Powers gone, mate. Power's packed up. 503 00:28:58,400 --> 00:28:59,480 Generator's gone. 504 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:01,799 Mate, it's gone. 505 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:04,399 We can't treat sewage without any power. 506 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,640 We're either backing up or we're dumping it straight into the river. 507 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:10,960 Oh, and Liam, mate... 508 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,520 {\an8}...there's sewage coming up from the ground. 509 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:33,399 Thames's own data shows Northleach hasn't treated any sewage 510 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,879 for three and a half months. Yeah. 511 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:37,160 So look... 512 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,559 ...that's two works within a few miles of each other, 513 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,639 both rotting into the sludge, both dumping illegally. 514 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,279 We've got to get this to the Environment Agency. 515 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,679 {\an8}They've got prosecuting powers. What do you mean? 516 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,959 {\an8}Well, they don't have to show their evidence to the police. 517 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,280 {\an8}These are crimes. They can prosecute privately. 518 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:00,599 {\an8}What, so they can just... just take Thames to court? 519 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:02,039 {\an8}Yes. 520 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:03,759 {\an8}They're the sewage police. 521 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:07,239 Wow. Uh, can anyone else do that? 522 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:09,920 Post office. The post office? That's unusual. 523 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,159 I see that your swelling's gone down. 524 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:18,200 Yeah, yeah, the antibiotics are kicking in, thank God. 525 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:22,360 And it's about keeping us a little bit more local. 526 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,160 {\an8}So I'm just going to fold this up, actually. 527 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,639 {\an8}We want to strip out 528 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:34,239 as much unnecessary regulation as possible. 529 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,599 So under operator self-monitoring, 530 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,639 we're going to be asking the water companies to monitor 531 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:45,479 their own environmental performance, flagging any breaches 532 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:47,559 to us as a priority. 533 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:50,239 I... Um, sorry, I don't understand. 534 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:55,879 So, you want water companies to monitor their own pollution? 535 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:59,959 Yeah, it's about shifting the burden of regulation 536 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:03,399 onto the companies and asking the water companies 537 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:06,680 if there's been a pollution to give us the details. 538 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,799 Uh... Hang on, hang on. 539 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:15,559 Just... just to be clear, you want us 540 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:21,199 to ask the water companies to tell us when they've dumped sewage? 541 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,559 It's about pivoting away from... 542 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:30,199 away from on site inspections to a more desk-based approach. 543 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:33,639 Yeah, it's sort of streamlining our process. 544 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:36,959 So you want us to stop visiting sewage works? 545 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,039 No, no. We'll still be doing on site inspections. 546 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,399 Yeah. Of course. Um, provided that we give the company 547 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:44,999 two weeks' notice of our visit. 548 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:46,799 Yeah, but that's a... that is a problem 549 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,479 because... Well... Sorry, again. 550 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:52,759 Yeah. Um, but if we give the water companies two weeks' notice... Yeah. 551 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,199 ...they'll just clean up before we get there. Yeah. 552 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,359 I mean, it is an honour system. 553 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:01,759 So if the companies say that there hasn't been an incident, 554 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,919 I don't think we should go looking for reasons to challenge that. 555 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:10,079 So what you're saying is regulate yourselves, 556 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,760 and then just let us know if you've committed any crimes. 557 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:18,200 Yeah. 558 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:20,599 Thanks so much. 559 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:22,160 OK. See you. 560 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:24,480 Ohh! 561 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,839 To Julia Simpson, area director, Environment Agency. 562 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:35,319 Dear Julia, I live in Oxfordshire, near the River Windrush. 563 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:37,239 My neighbour, Professor Peter Hammond, 564 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,279 and I have been gathering evidence of sewage discharges 565 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:43,199 into our river by Thames Water. 566 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:45,079 We'd like to bring what we've learned 567 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:47,359 to the attention of the Environment Agency. 568 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:51,119 Dear Julia, we'd like to invite you to meet some members 569 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,519 of our group to discuss issues of sewage pollution. 570 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,999 Dear Julia, we are going to take a trip 571 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:58,959 down the river on foot and by boat, 572 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,879 looking at possible sources of sewage pollution. 573 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:04,119 Would the Environment Agency be interested? 574 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:09,320 Dear Julia, we are still waiting for a suitable point of contact. 575 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,959 {\an8}Dear Ashley, the Department For The Environment 576 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:20,600 will provide you with a full response by the 8th of June 2018. 577 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:24,039 She's got an MBE, 578 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:25,920 and a bloody big salmon. 579 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,119 Why is she taking so long to get back to us? 580 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,759 Doesn't she realise we're doing her job for her? I don't know. 581 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:35,600 I might put in a complaint. 582 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,159 MOBILE BUZZES 583 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:21,119 Hello? Mr Smith. 584 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:23,679 It's Julia Simpson from the Environment Agency. 585 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:26,319 I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. 586 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,959 Honestly, waiting for Defra. It is maddening. 587 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:33,959 Well, we found each other now. We wanted to ask about how 588 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:38,160 the agency monitors sewage dumps into the river. 589 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:40,640 Spills? Yes. 590 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:45,559 Well, as you probably know, we manage operator self-monitoring. 591 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,599 What? Operator self-monitoring. What's that? 592 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,959 Yes, it's for Thames Water to report any potential breaches. 593 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:55,239 You mean it's Thames's job 594 00:34:55,240 --> 00:34:57,360 to tell you when they've dumped sewage? 595 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,999 To report potential pollution incidents. Yes. 596 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:03,639 And what if they don't report them? 597 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:08,599 We would expect Thames to report 100% of pollution incidents. 598 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:13,360 So it's not even your responsibility to inspect the works. 599 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:18,440 For...? Well, to see if they're working. 600 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:23,559 No. Absolutely. We inspect the treatment works. 601 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,759 Yes, of course we do. How often? 602 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:29,519 Well, we would inspect perhaps once every few days, 603 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:32,079 up to perhaps once every six months, 604 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,560 depending on the inspection team's judgment. 605 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:39,679 Listen, we're aware that there's been some discussion locally around 606 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:41,199 water quality on the Windrush, 607 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,599 and in fact we've just completed a new survey. 608 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:46,879 So I was thinking it would be a good idea 609 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:48,879 for me to take up your invitation, 610 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:53,559 come down to the village hall and to go over some of the results. 611 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:57,679 So the good news is that our testing shows 612 00:35:57,680 --> 00:35:59,839 that there's no evidence 613 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:02,159 that the Windrush is seriously polluted, 614 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:05,239 or that the quality of the water has declined. 615 00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:08,959 We do know that the river is more brown these days, 616 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:10,319 but our evidence has shown 617 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:14,639 that this brown colour has got nothing to do with sewage. 618 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:18,999 Uh, sorry, we've spoken earlier on the telephone. 619 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:22,239 I wonder if you could confirm something you told me then, 620 00:36:22,240 --> 00:36:25,759 that, um, the agency inspects all the works 621 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,959 along the Windrush between every two to three days and every six months. 622 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:31,039 Yes. That's right. 623 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:32,399 Professor Peter Hammond, 624 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:36,119 and I'm also part of this Windrush group. 625 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:39,439 A colleague of yours told me that actually 626 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:42,839 you only inspect once every eight years. 627 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:46,759 And also, I've just been... Listen. ...I've been... I've been running 628 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,999 your figures. And, um, so you've only done about half of 629 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:55,039 the inspections that you needed to have been doing. 630 00:36:55,040 --> 00:37:01,639 In fact, you've only been visiting the works once every 16 years. 631 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:05,359 We also took a look at your water quality tests. 632 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:07,039 And the thing is, they were 633 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:10,999 all carried out upstream from all the major sewage works. 634 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,279 It's almost as if you've chosen the cleanest 635 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:16,039 part of the river to conduct your test. 636 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:17,799 PEOPLE REMONSTRATE 637 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:22,079 The river is actually devoid of anything in there. 638 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:24,239 The fish and all the wildfowl 639 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:26,239 and everything that leads on from that, 640 00:37:26,240 --> 00:37:30,839 from your kingfishers to everything, you've absolutely ruined this place 641 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:33,440 and you should be bloody well ashamed of yourself. 642 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:40,639 And the watercress banks. 643 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,119 You destroyed the watercress beds as well. 644 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:45,759 That used to be a source of industry years ago. 645 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:50,399 Totally gone. We will be taking all your feedback into consideration. 646 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:52,519 I will have to go away... 647 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:55,679 And we will listen to your feedback. 648 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:56,799 I promise you. 649 00:37:56,800 --> 00:37:58,119 When? When? 650 00:37:58,120 --> 00:37:59,360 Thank you. 651 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:26,959 Uh, is it Mr Lazarus? My name's Ash Smith. 652 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:28,919 This is my colleague, Professor Peter Hammond. 653 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:31,519 We're doing some research on Thames Water, 654 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:35,399 and, er, well, listen, it's all off the record. 655 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:38,839 We're not disclosing the names of anyone we talk to. 656 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:40,800 We wondered if you could spare ten minutes. 657 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:52,679 People call me Mickey, first of all. Thank you very much for coming here. 658 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,999 I know it's not easy. We appreciate you so much, I can't tell you. 659 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:57,679 I'm not a grass. OK. 660 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:01,159 So I did grass on my mate like in year eight back in the day. 661 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:02,919 But this is different from grass, right? 662 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:05,799 This is like blowing the whistle. I told you, I'm an ex-copper. Yeah. 663 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:07,679 You've told me that as well. That's made me nervous. 664 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:10,359 This is not... Grassing is like when you grass your mates, 665 00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:11,599 and blowing the whistle - 666 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,599 whistle-blowing - is when you like grass on your boss. 667 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:16,039 Right? 668 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:19,280 We're going to start. All right, check this out. 669 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,439 {\an8}Most water companies get sold every ten years or so. 670 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:27,079 JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, 671 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,439 Kuwait sovereign fund, 672 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:30,999 Chinese banks, 673 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:32,160 we've had them all, mate. 674 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:41,319 So, Macquarie bought us in 2006. 675 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:44,919 That's the... That's the Australian hedge fund. 676 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:46,999 It's known as the millionaires' factory, 677 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:50,399 such are the reputed riches of many of Macquarie's key executives. 678 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:52,559 It's a vampire kangaroo. That's it. 679 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:54,799 And they've earned that name because they are bloodsuckers. 680 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:58,399 Leading companies rely on Macquarie for advice, access to capital... 681 00:39:58,400 --> 00:39:59,799 The first thing they did 682 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:03,919 was sell our offices and then rent them back to us. 683 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:04,999 What? Wrong 'uns. 684 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:07,239 They make Del Boy look like a fucking amateur. 685 00:40:07,240 --> 00:40:09,159 Then they said that we had to get 686 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:12,599 management clearance to buy pens. 687 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:15,959 Right to the top to buy a Biro, not even a Parker. 688 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,199 Not a fancy pen, just a normal pen. 689 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:19,639 Piss-take. All right? 690 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:21,159 Now, let's say this. Right. 691 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:22,639 A pipe's broken, what do you do? 692 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:23,799 Normally you take it out, 693 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:25,439 you put a new one in. 694 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:28,479 They would tell us to stick a collar around it. 695 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:30,239 It's not gonna hold. What's a collar? 696 00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:32,239 It's just like sticking plaster. It's not gonna hold. 697 00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:34,839 It's a temporary fix. The pipe's still rotten. 698 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:37,119 OK? It's gonna go again. It's a botched job. 699 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:38,279 It's like Frankenstein. 700 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:40,639 So, why don't they want to do it properly? 701 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:43,239 Why don't they want to spend money and seal it properly? 702 00:40:43,240 --> 00:40:44,959 They don't give a monkey's about the works. 703 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,119 You know why? Because they're gonna flip you. 704 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:50,559 If they don't want to spend any money on it, 705 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:52,679 how are they going to maintain your works? 706 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:54,879 They don't give a shit. You know why? 707 00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:56,599 They're like dodgy house flippers. 708 00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:58,439 They're gonna go in there, it's still rotten inside, 709 00:40:58,440 --> 00:40:59,999 and they flip it. They're out. 710 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:01,680 That's why I bank with Macquarie. 711 00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:05,239 Macquarie, when they flogged us, 712 00:41:05,240 --> 00:41:09,239 they walked away with around 2.8 billion quid. 713 00:41:09,240 --> 00:41:10,280 It's scandalous. 714 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:14,439 So, how do you know all this, then, Mickey? 715 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:16,959 I started working for Thames when I was 16, right? 716 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:19,080 On my second day, I joined the union. 717 00:41:20,240 --> 00:41:21,999 I get people ringing me up every day. 718 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:26,159 "Mickey, it's all falling apart. We can't keep it going." 719 00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:27,919 Pete, if you were there, working there, 720 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:29,559 you were an engineer, you know, 721 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:31,079 and the pumps ain't working, 722 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,559 you're at capacity, what's your best option? 723 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:35,119 Well, the best option, obviously, 724 00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:38,119 is just to get rid of the sewage, I suppose. 725 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:43,120 The only option is to press the button that flushes it all out. 726 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:48,799 I'm not proud to admit that and I feel guilty, you know? 727 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:51,759 I see people swimming in the... in these rivers 728 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:53,679 and their kids swim in the rivers. 729 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:55,879 What am I supposed to do? I know what goes in there. 730 00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:56,920 I put it in there. 731 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:00,320 We're at tipping point here, fellas. 732 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:07,319 So, we have run the brain tests. 733 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:09,119 Heather's brain has lost the ability 734 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:13,120 to control her vital organs and, unfortunately, they are failing. 735 00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:16,920 I'm really very sorry... 736 00:42:18,720 --> 00:42:19,799 ...but I think it's time 737 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:21,920 we consider turning off her ventilators. 738 00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:10,919 Dear Professor Hammond, 739 00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:14,919 I'm a member of Citizens Against South West Water. 740 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:16,439 We formed a year ago to fight 741 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:19,079 the company's sewage dumping in our bit of Devon. 742 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:20,479 One of our group 743 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:23,920 was recently given these, which we thought you should see. 744 00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:33,479 "A girl of eight may have been the first person in Britain 745 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:38,439 "to have contracted fatal E.coli poisoning from raw sewage. 746 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:39,959 "Ten other people, 747 00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:41,919 "including four children, 748 00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:45,279 "who all visited the beach on July the 28th, 749 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:49,960 "were also struck down by the same bacterial strain. 750 00:43:51,520 --> 00:43:53,920 "Heather Preen died of E.coli." 751 00:44:04,120 --> 00:44:06,000 If you like, we could bring her over to you. 752 00:44:11,240 --> 00:44:12,480 There we go. 753 00:44:13,840 --> 00:44:17,879 All right. There we go. All right. MUM SOBS 754 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:20,040 We'll just leave you together for a little while now, OK? 755 00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:26,680 You're all right. 756 00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:33,640 SHE SOBS 757 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:40,200 You're all right. 758 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:43,600 You're all right. 759 00:44:56,760 --> 00:45:00,239 Sorry. OK, there we go. 760 00:45:00,240 --> 00:45:01,959 All right. 761 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:03,000 There we go. 762 00:45:04,120 --> 00:45:06,719 Be careful with her head. It's OK, I've got her. 763 00:45:06,720 --> 00:45:07,720 We're fine, come on. 764 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:40,800 Thank you. 765 00:45:41,880 --> 00:45:43,920 Yeah, s... Yeah, sorry. Yeah. 766 00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:49,360 Thank you. Thank you. 767 00:45:54,120 --> 00:45:55,279 Right, yeah. 768 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:57,560 SHE SNIFFLES 769 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:10,799 So, you know how I taught 770 00:46:10,800 --> 00:46:14,039 the machine to look for the anomalies 771 00:46:14,040 --> 00:46:16,719 in Witney and Church Hanborough? 772 00:46:16,720 --> 00:46:20,279 Yeah, all right. What, have you been free jazzing your numbers again? 773 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:21,999 Well, it's actually a lot of hard work, you know? 774 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:24,319 No, I know. Sorry, sorry. I'm just looking for the patterns 775 00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:27,359 and spotting the deviations. Yeah, right. 776 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:30,279 And you know that... You do know that 777 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:32,359 when the machine sees an abnormality, 778 00:46:32,360 --> 00:46:35,559 it can only mean one thing - that it's dumping sewage. 779 00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:40,759 Yes. OK. So, in the nine years that I've dated for 780 00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:43,119 at these two works alone, 781 00:46:43,120 --> 00:46:45,439 Witney and Church Hanborough, 782 00:46:45,440 --> 00:46:49,360 they've dumped sewage a thousand times. 783 00:46:51,720 --> 00:46:53,480 These aren't accidents, Ash. 784 00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:55,880 It's a policy. 785 00:46:59,320 --> 00:47:01,800 This is starting to look like organised crime. 786 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:13,680 {\an8}COUGHING Fuck! 787 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:16,439 {\an8}Nah, this isn't right. 788 00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:18,160 {\an8}That's BLEEP. 789 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:20,879 {\an8}No, this ain't right. 790 00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:23,479 That's pure sewage. 791 00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:25,239 You say you've got insufficient evidence, 792 00:47:25,240 --> 00:47:27,039 but we keep giving you the evidence. 793 00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:29,039 All we ever do is give you the evidence. 794 00:47:29,040 --> 00:47:31,519 If you don't know what caused the infection, 795 00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:32,839 then you need to shut down the beach. 796 00:47:32,840 --> 00:47:33,999 That's not going to happen. 797 00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:36,759 {\an8}I wonder if we should be calling it an outbreak. 798 00:47:36,760 --> 00:47:38,759 It feels like the kind of term that could alarm people. 799 00:47:38,760 --> 00:47:40,999 We are conducting an investigation under section 108 800 00:47:41,000 --> 00:47:43,039 of the Environmental Act. Whoa, whoa, whoa... 801 00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:45,919 Close the beach before this happens to somebody else. 802 00:47:45,920 --> 00:47:46,959 With their kids, 803 00:47:46,960 --> 00:47:50,519 with fishing nets sitting amongst turds. 804 00:47:50,520 --> 00:47:51,600 Reuben! 805 00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:55,480 Come on. Reuben! 806 00:47:56,600 --> 00:47:57,960 We need another whistleblower. 807 00:49:52,520 --> 00:49:55,640 Subtitles by Red Bee Media