Bikes causing issues to South East Water’s woodlands and biodiversity enhancement work

Those who ride motorbikes and mountain bikes along on South East Water private land in West Kent are being asked to stop as they risk contaminating the raw water the company uses to turn into fresh drinking water.

In recent months, fly-tipping, motorsports, and mountain bike riding have increased on land near Pembury.

Dirt bikers have turned the site into their regular track, causing mud to seep into the nearby reservoir, disturbing ecosystems and damaging company equipment.

South East Water owns or manages 33 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve, two local nature reserves, and numerous Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Protecting the environment from which water is abstracted is a crucial part of the work the business undertakes.

Projects such as coppicing to stimulate growth and reintroducing endangered species to areas where numbers are declining allow the company to give back to the environment from which it gets its water.

South East Water's Biodiversity Manager, Richard Dyer, said: "The disruption caused by the trail bikers is having an impact on the fragile woodland ecosystems by damaging ground flora and impacting on protected species such as dormice and nesting birds, but importantly it is also affecting raw water quality by leaving the ground bare allowing rain to wash soil particles and other contaminants off into the local springs and streams”

“The potential for an oil or fuel spill from a motorbike contaminating the springs and streams is particularly worrying.”

"The water in the reservoir is natural spring water, so it is heartbreaking that it could be polluted in such a way."

For more information on our work in the environment, please visit: https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/about/our-environment/