The Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods have been campaigning tirelessly for years to enhance water quality in the Gledhow Valley- a precious urban green space. This effort aims to protect and nurture the biodiversity of the area, promising cleaner environments for local wildlife and more enjoyable spaces for surrounding communities.

Despite concerted efforts, Gledhow Beck and Lake continue to suffer from pollution due to improper sewage and wastewater management. Most homes are connected to two sewers: one for foul water(toilets, showers, washing machines),which is treated, and one for surface water(rain water from gutters), which flows into becks. A misconnection happens when household waste is wrongly plumbed into the surface water system.The ongoing issue of misconnections is leading to untreated sewage and household wastewater being discharged directly into Gledhow Beck and Lake, posing significant threats to both wildlife and human health. This negligence could have long-lasting detrimental effects on the environment and the community.

Yorkshire Water, The Environment Agency, and Leeds City Council hold the power and responsibility to fix these misconnections. It is imperative that these organisations work together to proactively trace and resolve misconnections at the three hot spots in the Gledhow Valley identified and mount a public education campaign to reduce the likelihood of them occuring again.  By doing so, they can eliminate the root cause of pollution and prevent further contamination of this precious local water body.

Immediate action is necessary to protect Gledhow Valley's natural resources and to ensure a safe, clean, and sustainable environment for future generations. We demand that these authorities prioritize this issue, allocate the necessary resources, and take definitive action to resolve the misconnections. 

Please sign this petition to urge Yorkshire Water, The Environment Agency, and Leeds City Council to address and rectify the misconnections that are one of the major sources of pollution in the Gledhow Valley. Together, we can help secure a cleaner, healthier environment for our community and the incredible wildlife that lives here.