The Cruising the Cut Audio Newsletter!
Aug 31, 2026 · 12 min · 10 segments
In this episode: poison in our waterways, no water in the canals; and something about the Big Bang. **Links** Water pollution…
Every single body of water in England is polluted with toxic chemicals, according to data from the Environment Agency.
Rivers, lakes and estuaries were studied by the EA for a range of pollutants and against a range of standards covering wildlife, water quality and physical habitat.
Most of the pollution is from chemicals which do not break down and therefore persist in the environment forever.
The agency says the waters are not predicted to reach good chemical status until 2063.
The Canal and River Trust has published an update on water resources and navigation requirements as the summer's severe drought continues to cause havoc on the inland waterways.
As of 28th August, there are 46 canal closures and 58 restrictions due to water shortages across the network, and the usual requirement to move your boat every 14 days has been suspended until the end of September.
The Trust is asking boaters to be water-conscious when using locks and to understand they will sometimes put in short-notice closures to help water levels recover.
The Trust is urging boaters to stay informed about the restrictions by signing up to email notifications from the CRT website.
The Inland Waterways Association and the Cruising Association have together published a guidance note on the safe installation of lithium batteries.
As lithium technology becomes increasingly popular for marine power systems, ensuring safety, reliability and proper installation standards is crucial for every boater.
The note includes best practices for installation, including technical considerations for both inland and offshore vessels, guidelines about thermal management, overcharge protection and system monitoring, and details of how to ensure a system meets marine safety standards and satisfies insurer requirements.
There's a link so you can download the document in the show notes for this podcast.
Every single body of water in England is polluted with toxic chemicals, according to data from the Environment Agency.
Rivers, lakes and estuaries were studied by the EA for a range of pollutants and against a range of standards covering wildlife, water quality and physical habitat.
Most of the pollution is from chemicals which do not break down and therefore persist in the environment forever.
The agency says the waters are not predicted to reach good chemical status until 2063.
The Canal and River Trust has published an update on water resources and navigation requirements as the summer's severe drought continues to cause havoc on the inland waterways.
As of 28th August, there are 46 canal closures and 58 restrictions due to water shortages across the network, and the usual requirement to move your boat every 14 days has been suspended until the end of September.
The Trust is asking boaters to be water-conscious when using locks and to understand they will sometimes put in short-notice closures to help water levels recover.
The Trust is urging boaters to stay informed about the restrictions by signing up to email notifications from the CRT website.
The Inland Waterways Association and the Cruising Association have together published a guidance note on the safe installation of lithium batteries.
As lithium technology becomes increasingly popular for marine power systems, ensuring safety, reliability and proper installation standards is crucial for every boater.
The note includes best practices for installation, including technical considerations for both inland and offshore vessels, guidelines about thermal management, overcharge protection and system monitoring, and details of how to ensure a system meets marine safety standards and satisfies insurer requirements.
There's a link so you can download the document in the show notes for this podcast.
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