Factory farms are wreaking havoc on the environment, putting human health at risk. Animal manure has always been used as a fertiliser on cropland and grazing fields, but these animal factories produce more manure than nearby fields can absorb, from where it runs into rivers and other water supplies. European and UK livestock produce an estimated 1.4 billion tonnes of manure annually.
To shed light on water pollution of groundwater and surface water across Europe, grassroots groups will be doing water testing this year close to their homes and confront authorities with the results of the testing. We want to show that statistics are not just a number in a hidden paper, but have real implications and affect the lives of people in many European countries – from Poland and Germany, to Italy and Spain, Hungary and Croatia.
The aim of carrying out independent, community-led tests is to verify and supplement the official data published by member states and to identify new areas with significant pollution peaks, particularly in waters located near identified sources of pollution.
This toolkit is there to help groups or individuals who want to plan water testing to understand the key steps of a process and give some ideas for practical actions.
