Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Anglian Water said “we are still working with the Environment Agency to investigate the cause of this issue, so it’s not accurate to describe it as a pollution at this point”.

A spokesperson said it was not accurate to say that ‘raw sewage’ has been released into the river.

Alder and Allan, who had installed three re-oxygenating points just above the lock.
They had been employed by Anglian Water, although they usually work for the Environment Agency.  They had driven for 3 hours to get here. (JR)

Below is the questions I put to Anglian Water at the Fenland Overview and Scrutiny Panel last year, they looked very uncomfortable and made a public apology for their short comings.

The incident was reported to me earlier yesterday by residents in Kings Delph. (Discharge appears Monday)

Not sure if you are aware that yesterday sewage was spotted in the river along with dead fish, snails and at least one rat.

The environmental agency came and took water samples. I hope this isn’t going to happen every time we get a heavy rainfall!

They had already reported to the environment agency, who attended fairly quickly.

The Volunteer River Bailiff (Roy Bridson) also contacted me with the following…

The EA contacted me yesterday saying a mass mortality of fish has been detected from
Stanground to Kings Dyke and they are reoxygenating the river at Briggate.

An obvious sewage spill I would say due to heavy rain, not the first time either Roy
Anglian Water came to the Overview & Scrutiny panel meeting last year, where they were questioned by myself
on the very poor statistics of discharging into rivers, to which they made
I assume that everyone is aware of the sewage discharge by Anglian Water which has polluted the watercourses below Stanground fields, with the result that many, if not all the fish are dead and there are also reported sightings of an absence of insect life.

I have been contacted by numerous concerned residents, wanting to know what the council’s response is and what can/will be done about this incident.

I am assuming that the town council has little redress in such a situation, but am appealing to those on the council who hold positions in district or county councils (or both) to act to reassure both myself and those residents that everything possible will be done to prevent a recurrence and to pursue those responsible for redress.
Cllr Peter Bibb

Yesterday sewage was spotted in the river (Kings Dyke) along with dead fish, snails and at least one rat. The environmental agency came and took water samples. I hope this isn’t going to happen  every time we get a heavy rainfall!
(JW)