An outfall safari is a citizen science survey method developed by the Zoological Society of London that maps and assesses pollution from pipes along rivers. It uses digital mapping survey apps on smartphones to record images and score the level of pollution discharging from any pipes found.
When you volunteer, you will undertake a day’s training, consisting of a theory morning that provides an introduction to pollution and how to use the online survey recording tools. This is followed by an afternoon practice survey walk to allow you to learn how to put theory into practice.
Following this, we will work with you to select a section of the river to survey and are then added to a Whats App group to help coordinate the survey and share findings. You can then walk your chosen sections of river using public rights of way and spaces to check for pollution.
You might be amazed at the sort of things we find. The photos below are from some of our previous surveys.
In 2023, we walked under half of our catchment.
We still have need to explore most of Leeds & many other urban areas.
From January to March 2025, with National Lottery funding, we aim to assess some becks and their upper tributaries across Leeds, North of the River. See the map below for where we aim to survey. You don't have to live in the area to volunteer, just have your own means of getting to the location we agree with you.
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As part of the surveying process, volunteers report any pollution they find to both the Environment Agency Pollution hotline and Yorkshire Waters Leak Line. This ensures that any issues with the sewers are investigated and, where possible, rectified by the water company, alongside the statutory regulator being informed that a problem has been found.
All the results are then collated on an interactive map by Aire Rivers Trust to summarise the results of the survey.
To join in with our 2025 North Leeds Outfall Safari, visit the opportunities calendaron our volunteer management system Better Impact to sign up for the training day on Saturday, 25th January 2025, at Meanwood Urban Farm.
Click this link to visit Better Impact: MyImpactPage - The Aire Rivers Trust
To learn more about taking part in an outfall safari and the results you can help produce, why not view the results of our first-ever outfall safari? That surveyed the River Aire from Malham to Leeds in 2023.
Outfall Safari - Aire Rivers Trust
To find out more about our Outfall safaris and citizen science work, contact sam.riley-gunn@aireriverstrust.org.uk
You can help reduce pollution in our rivers in several other ways:
