An aerial view of Windermere surrounded by lush green trees. Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Windermere sits at the heart of the iconic Lake District

ByJonah FisherEnvironment correspondent

A £3.6bn proposal to stop sewage being discharged into Windermere, England's largest lake, has been unveiled.

The plans, which are backed by the local water company United Utilities and clean water campaigners, would see a tunnel up to 12 miles (19km) long built to transport sewage away from the lake.

At the moment both raw sewage and treated effluent are discharged into Windermere and campaigners say that is why parts of the lake have been turning green each summer, so-called algal blooming.