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07
Nov
Yorkshire Water criticised for using straw bales to clean-up Nidd pollution
Yorkshire Water has defended its actions after it was criticised for using three straw bales to respond to a pollution incident.
A dog walker reported sewage leaking into Fleet Beck, which runs into the River Nidd at Tockwith, on Wednesday (November 5).
Yorkshire Water attended and left three bales in the beck.
Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn, contacted the Stray Ferret yesterday to say he was “livid” about the situation.
He said it was an unsatisfactory way of dealing with such a serious matter and “another example of how Yorkshire Water are allowed to skimp on their responsibility whilst the community and environment have to suffer”.
He said the Environment Agency, which he subsequently contacted, was taking more robust action.
Cllr Warneken said Tockwith’s population had significantly increased recently and residents were concerned about the lack of infrastructure, particularly the sewerage system. He added:
Currently there are three developments which feed the sewage into holding tanks which are emptied at night as the system can’t cope with the volume of sewage during the day hence its pumped at nighttime to the treatment works alongside Fleet Beck.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said it was common practice to use bales as part of a pollution response.
They added:
Our teams have attended Fleet Beck and have traced the source of the pollution to a private culvert, owned by a separate third-party. However, we have been working with the Environment Agency to mitigate the impact of the pollution on the watercourse.
Straw hay bales can be used to catch debris whilst pollution incidents are still actively being resolved. It is a temporary measure to reduce impact on the watercourse and is commonly used.
We have plans to increase capacity at Tockwith wastewater treatment works as part of a storm tank storage scheme, which will see a £27.8m investment across the region by April 2025.
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