MATT Staniek is looking for volunteers to help him hold water companies to account. 

The Save Windermere campaign and WildFish are looking for 20 volunteers to establish a SmartRivers monitoring hub, due to start on May 23-24. 

SmartRivers is a nationwide citizen science scheme hosted by WildFish.

The results from the sampling will be used to identify sources of pollution and their impact on local rivers in the Windermere catchment.

Using this scientific evidence, the group and Mr Staniek aim to lobby together to reduce pollution in the catchment. Specific hotspots of pollution are being targeted as part of this work.

Volunteers will receive training as part of the scheme.

This will be delivered in two-parts, the first in May and the second in Autumn 2023. In May, volunteers will be trained in invertebrate sampling by professional entomologist Dr Nick Everall. In Autumn, volunteers will learn identification skills tailored to the aquatic invertebrate species in the catchment.

Once trained, volunteers can continue sampling, twice a year, under the supervision of Mr Staniek.

Mr Staniek said: “We have evidence to demonstrate that United Utilities’ operations are having an impact on the freshwater ecology of Windermere and its surrounding rivers and this work, in part, is about quantifying it.

"We want people to feel like their actions can enact real change. We don't want to collect data for data's sake, we want to be able to evidence harm and to hold to account those that are failing to protect Windermere. This work will do that”

Nick Measham, the director of WildFish said: “WildFish’s SmartRivers’ species level monitoring of river bugs will help the Windermere volunteers understand the pollution pressures in the catchment."

A spokesperson for United Utilities said: “We support taking a scientific data-led approach to understanding the health of Windermere. United Utilities is part of the Love Windermere partnership, which is led by the Environment Agency.

“The partnership has already commissioned a comprehensive survey - the Big Windermere Survey - which looks at and monitors all aspects of the lake’s health. This is being undertaken by scientific experts from the Freshwater Biological Association and Lancaster University.

“The fourth survey took place last weekend, supported by almost a hundred volunteers from within the local community, and will provide a year’s worth of data about Windermere. The most recent results of that survey have just been published.”