Cross-party calls for action on the protection of Bucks chalk streams have been made amid a week of daily raw sewage discharges into the River Misbourne.

At the time of writing, Thames Water's Gerrards Cross sewage treatment plant has poured excrement into the chalk stream for over 75 combined hours since December 4.

There is ongoing discharge today, December 10, which started at 7.45 am.

Reform Councillor Cole Ceasar has called the situation 'utterly unacceptable' and 'madness'.

He stated that the Bucks reform group will be working together closely 'to ensure an appropriate response'.

Cllr Cole stated: "Councillor David Moore, happy to work together on this across party, especially as I know how strongly you support the protection of our chalk streams."

Cllr Moore responded: "Thank you for supporting our cross-party motion to protect our chalk streams.

"They are one of the wonders of the world."

READ MORE: River Chess and Misbourne outrage at sewage discharges | Bucks Free Press

At a council meeting on November 26, Conservative Councillors Ade Osibogun and Moore proposed and seconded a motion to protect Buckinghamshire’s chalk streams.

It asked the council to reinforce the Council’s existing commitments under the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and 'lead the way nationally in protecting and restoring its chalk streams — one of our county’s most precious and globally significant natural assets'.

The motion urged for action to regulate abstraction and invest in water infrastructure that protects chalk streams and seeks to minimise any flood risk.

The motion described ways that chalk streams should be protected in preparing the emerging local plan for Bucks, which will impact planning and development decisions.

Last month, Thames Water responded to criticism of sewage discharges into the River Misbourne.

Chiltern Green Party spokesperson David Hughes stated: "Regardless of political allegiances, we can surely all agree that having effluent contaminating our countryside, turning these natural habitats into open sewers, is grotesque and completely unnecessary.

"This is not ‘one of those things’."

A company spokesperson responded: “We know how much people enjoy and appreciate rivers, which is why we will deliver a record amount of investment to address our ageing infrastructure to meet the demands that come with population growth and climate change.  

“We are targeting a record of £9.5 billion (in 2022/23 prices) of investment across our wastewater assets over the next five years, which will increase treatment capacity, lower the number of storm discharges and implement nutrient reduction schemes."

They stated that farming, industry, road runoff, wildlife, and increasingly extreme weather also impact river health.

The spokesperson added: "We understand that all untreated discharges, even when permitted, are unacceptable, however it’s important to remember the sewage system was historically designed this way to prevent sewage backing up into people’s homes."

They said that 'transparency is at the heart' of Thames Water.