Canal and River Trust a step closer to solving Worcester pollution mystery

A build-up of pollution, which appears to be an oily substance, has been affecting the canal between Sidbury Lock 3 and Blockhouse Lock 4 in Worcester city centre since March 2021.

A number of dead fish have been found along the stretch and water authorities have been investigating to find the cause of the pollution.

The canal and river trust, working alongside the Environment Agency, has located a culvert, which enters the canal just below Blockhouse Lock by Lock Street.

The culvert carries what is known as the Three Springs Brook, a culverted stream, which travels underground over an area of Worcester about one square mile in size.

“The problem with culverted watercourses is that they are underground, so it is very difficult to pinpoint the exact location where pollution is entering the watercourse,” the trust said in an update on its website.

“Rainwater flows into these watercourses via the surface water drainage system and unfortunately, sometimes brings with it pollution and contamination.

“Oil and other contaminants can also be poured directly down the surface water drains which result in pollution of the watercourse. This is of course, illegal, but unfortunately, this is more common than you might like to think and very hard to catch people in the act.”

While the Environment Agency has narrowed down its search area, it still doesn’t know how the oil observed on the canal is getting into Three Springs Brook.

The Canal and River Trust will be reporting to the Environment Agency every time pollution is observed on this stretch of the canal in order to justify further investigation.

Members of the public can help too, by reporting any pollution seen on the canal either to the Canal and River Trust or directly to the Environment Agency.

You can contact the Canal and River Trust on 0303 040 4040 or by visiting canalrivertrust.org.uk

Alternatively, you can call the Environment Agency’s Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.