Water
Our aims are to understand the quality of the water in Waterloo Lake and its feeder system, to identify any potential sources of pollution entering the water system and to understand what the implications are for biodiversity.
Water Quality
The Rivers Trust, campaign groups, the Government and the water companies all agree that water quality needs improving. We started a Roundhay water quality monitoring group in 2023 with members from REAP and Friends of Roundhay Park, successfully applying for funding to buy the testing kits and receive training. We continue to jointly fund the group and are now involved in a range of projects. Find out more below. There are a variety of ways you can get involved so do get in contact if you are interested, even if you can only join in on an ad hoc basis.
Water Projects
Water Quality Monitoring
We carry out chemical testing at 13 sites every month including Great Heads Beck, Fox Wood Beck, Ram Beck, the Upper Lake, Waterloo Lake and Wyke Beck in Wyke Beck Woods. We use testing kits provided by the Water Rangers social enterprise. Our data is on their website which you can see at the link below.
North Leeds Outfall Safari
One of our group took part in the Aire Rivers Trust’s North Leeds Outfall Safari in early 2025, which surveyed four beck systems across North Leeds for polluting pipes and outfalls, identifying some of the key pollution problems. The data has been shared with Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency.
Life in the Leeds Becks
This project has established a network of riverfly monitoring volunteers downstream of the pollution problems identified in the Outfall Safari to help assess the impact on the aquatic life. We have four trained monitors in Roundhay who are monitoring Fox Wood Beck, Ram Beck and Great Heads Beck.
Alliance for Quality Aquatic Environments (AQUA)
Since November 2023, REAP and Friends of Roundhay Park have been testing local water quality. Partnering with the University York, we’re contributing to Alliance for Quality Aquatic Environments research project. This 5 year project involves public, academic, government, charity, and business groups. The project aims to create an inclusive and diverse Yorkshire community of practice using techniques new to citizen science that build monitoring capacity and moves us towards achieving a non-toxic aquatic environment benefiting biodiversity and people. The testing in this project focuses on micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals and bacterial species.
Check out our other projects
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