26. The Annual Banquet, November 11, 2021

The Water Conservators’ Company Annual Banquet took place on 11 November at Cutlers’ Hall. The Master welcomed over 80 Members and guests. He reviewed the event over the last 18 months which had led to the Banquet’s cancellation last year. In particular, he thanked the two Masters who straddled this period for their successful efforts to keep the Company together and, continued in a modified form, the technical and social events. The continuing work with the City was exemplified by the contribution Company volunteers had made to the development of Livery Climate Action Plans, and the adoption of our own Plan in September.


The Guest speaker was Martin Salter, a life-long angler who talked about his experience - pushing for water quality improvements - as a council adviser and later, an MP. He was broadly appreciative of the steps taken by the various authorities and operators since the River Thames was declared biologically dead 50 years ago. The Tideway Tunnel will further improve the quality of the river.

There were however major concerns about the sufficiency of water in the South East. The reductions in abstractions from chalk streams will inevitably mean more reliance on the River Thames and this needs to be addressed. The talk was complemented by anecdotal experiences from his time in the House of Commons, and in lobbying for investment to improve water quality.

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