What happened?
Extract from Stourbridge News 4th March:
RAW sewage has flooded into a section of the Stourbridge Canal after a pipe burst – with it closed off and walkers being warned to avoid the area.
Severn Trent Water self-reported a burst sewer main at 5.25am yesterday (Tuesday March 3) resulting in raw sewage entering the Stourbridge Canal at the Wordsley basin.
Environment Agency officers attended the site at 9am to investigate and collect regulatory samples. Approximately 1km of canal is impacted.
It is believed the discharge was stopped at 12.40pm with The Canal & River Trust on site.
Severn Trent Water said on Wednesday March 4 that its teams had been “working through the day and night at the canal and are making progress to manage the impact of the burst pipe.”
Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles said: “Environment Agency officers will remain on site and continue to investigate the extent of the environmental impact and assess regulatory compliance.
Severn Trent Water and Canal & River Trust have been working to minimise environmental impacts.
Walkers and dog walkers are advised to avoid the area while emergency works take place. Tankers have been on site to support the response.
I’ll be following up with Severn Trent and the EA to ensure repair works are completed to a high standard so no further discharges occur.”
If anyone has environmental concerns, they should contact the Environment Agency 24/7 hotline on 0800 807060.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “Teams have been working through the day and night at the canal and are making progress to manage the impact of the burst pipe.
In coordination with the Canal and River Trust and the Environment Agency, a lot of activity is taking place to protect the local environment with repairs to the burst pipe also underway.
As the canal remains closed, we’d like to thank walkers and dog walkers for avoiding the area as these emergency works continue. We’d also like to thank people, especially the local boating community for their patience and understanding and apologise for any disruption.”
On 8th March Spiral floating aerators were seen to have now been deployed to oxygenate the water to restore the water quality for wildlife and a lot of activity is in place by workmen.
The Stourbridge Canal is now fully open once more.
