Water butt giveaway in Faversham will help protect local stream

Extra help is being given to a chalk steam which partly ran dry during last summer’s drought in Faversham town centre.

People living close to The Westbrook are being given the chance to apply for one of 15 free water butts as part of the Streams Ahead Project being run by The Friends of the Westbrook and Stonebridge Pond.

Leaflets have been distributed in the area publicising the giveaway after they were donated by local clean drinking water provider South East Water as part of its water efficiency drive.

The Westbrook, which runs from The Knole to Faversham Creek is one of around a dozen small chalk streams along Swale’s north Kent coast. These chalk streams are particularly rare world-wide with 80 per cent found in England.

Their existence depends on water levels in the nearby chalk aquifer, so long periods of reduced rainfall can be disastrous for them.

Anna Stonor, a volunteer with The Friends of the Westbrook said: “Last summer the stream ran dry above Stonebridge Way – a stark contrast from when it powered several water mills and its steady flow could be followed back through Faversham, along Water Lane in Ospringe to Painter’s Forstal right up until the mid-20th century.

“Initiatives such as this water butt giveaway helps highlight the fact that we can play an important role in protecting our chalk streams and the unique habitats they provide by thinking about how we use water.”

Michaela James, Catchment Adviser, South East Water, said: “We are a member of the Medway Swale Estuary Partnership and what is being achieved in Faversham is a good example of how, by working together, we can get across the importance of the water saving message.

“By taking small water saving steps such as installing a water butt to capture and use rainwater in the garden, we can all make an impact. The less drinking quality water used on gardens during the dry periods, will help reduce the water we draw from the aquifers, protecting the local environment and the resilience of our chalk streams.”