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Moston Brook, Boggart Hole Clough

This success had been recognised with an award of the first International River Prize for the best river management initiative presented at the International River Symposium in Brisbane, Australia.

Officers heading the city?s Bright and Clean initiative are now looking at initiatives to tackle litter in local rivers and graffiti on bridges which disfigures popular beauty spots.

A report from the Environment Agency revealed Manchester?s rivers were still badly polluted but improvement work worth ?50m was to go ahead at waste water treatment works that discharge into the River Irk.

The river, which runs through Crumpsall and takes sources from streams including Moston Brook, is currently graded E and F in places on a scale from A to F.

Samples of river water are taken at various locations along rivers on a monthly basis for analysis. The next results for Manchester are due in June.

Investment in wastewater treatment works was expected to bring a dramatic improvement in the quality of the river water and fish stocks are due to be released in summer 2000.

Manchester City Council?s Environment Scrutiny Committee was told the Mersey Basin Campaign has set up a Water Watch scheme to raise awareness of litter problems in rivers.

Campaigners explained they could identify problems and bring people together to try and solve them but had no authority or legal powers and relied on partners in the private, public and voluntary sectors to implement action.

A small budget has been set up for maintaining river bridges but this did not extend to painting or clearing graffiti although the Mersey Basin Campaign could organise voluntary groups to help maintain rivers and bridges if the resources were available.

The Environment Scrutiny Committee has now asked the Manchester Bright and Clean initiative team to look at the problems of litter in rivers and graffiti on river bridges.

Lightbowne Councillor Bill Risby, a committee member, said: "Having the most improved river system is encouraging but we have to remember where we?re starting from. It?s good to know we?re moving in the right direction."