Thames Water cleans up Coldfall Woods stream
Thames Water has successfully undertaken work to improve a polluted stream running through Coldfall Woods in Muswell Hill.
Pollution in Strawberry Vale Brook was found to be the result of substandard plumbing at more than 60 homes in the area. In the majority of cases, missing caps on surface water pipes caused contaminants including sewage, household detergents and cooking fat, to enter the stream, reducing oxygen levels, and threatening fish and other wildlife.
Additional properties were found to have misconnected appliances including kitchen sinks and washing machines that had been incorrectly plumbed into the surface water sewer leading to the stream. These appliances should have been connected to foul water sewer for treatment.
Chris Carthy, Thames Water's Environmental Protection Technologist, said:
"It is essential that we locate properties that are inadvertently polluting streams to prevent further damage to the environment. Investigations to eradicate pollution in Strawberry Vale Brook started in the summer of 2006, and involved inspecting hundreds of drains over a large area.
"We installed wire traps in junctions on surface water sewers to trap evidence of household waste, and used remotely controlled CCTV cameras and coloured dyes to trace the source of the pollution back to streets and individual properties.
"Householders have a responsibility to ensure their drains are correctly plumbed. We urge people to use a qualified and reputable plumber when carrying out any work on their drains so this kind of pollution can be avoided."
Local authorities can serve notice on properties that don?t take appropriate action to remedy misconnected pipes - requiring homeowners to carry out works needed to prevent further pollution.
Ruth Shaw, Senior Environment Officer, at the Environment Agency, said:
"We have been working closely with Thames Water for a number of years to improve water quality in the Strawberry Vale Brook. The outcome of this project shows that householders in particular need to ensure sinks and toilets are connected to the correct system of pipes."
Thames Water and the Environment Agency have produced a leaflet giving practical advice to homeowners so they can carry out a simple inspection of their drains.
