Barnet (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Barnet Council vows to tackle sewage pollution after an investigation found housing blocks misconnected to local streams, threatening water quality.
When freeholders of properties are found to be dumping raw sewage into nearby streams, the Barnet Council has threatened to “pursue enforcement.”
Seven housing projects in the city, including three in Hendon, Finchley, and Whetstone, were releasing untreated human waste into streams as a result of plumbing misconnections, according to a recent investigation by news organization London Centric.
Misconnections occur when builders or homeowners plumb toilets and household appliances into pipes intended for rainwater rather than dirty water, according to Rob Gray, a member of the Friends of the River Crane Environment group.
Since the impacted streams eventually flow into the River Thames further downstream, Rob claims that this is the “largest issue” London has with regard to river pollution.
Thames Water reported the misconnections at Admiral Court in Hendon, which has eleven leasehold apartments, and Clementine Court in Finchley, which has 24 private two- and three-bedroom apartments. Both properties are currently being investigated.
Waste is being dumped into the Silk Stream in the Admiral Court case. Misconnections have also impacted Dollis Brook, which is close to Clementine Court.
Since the properties are privately owned, it is impossible to find the original developers and reach a consensus on who should bear responsibility, hence no solution has been established for these sites as of yet.
A Barnet Council spokesperson said: “Our investigations into these properties are ongoing and we will pursue formal enforcement if the freeholders do not undertake the required work to rectify the misconnections.
We are continuing to work collaboratively with the Environment Agency and Thames Water to ensure future cases can be dealt with as quickly as possible.”
The River Brent, which finally empties into the Thames, has Dollis Brook and the Silk Stream as tributaries.
The council has drawn attention to the difficulties caused by “fragmented legislation,” which makes enforcement more difficult. They are dedicated to using the existing legal structures to address the problem in spite of these obstacles.
Barnet Council takes part in neighborhood initiatives such as the “Unblocking Burnt Oak Brook” campaign, which attempts to revitalize nearby waterways and raise awareness of environmental concerns.
The council’s dedication to fixing sewage misconnections and enhancing the local environment is evident in these measures.
Both the environmental charity Thames21 and the advocacy group Clean Up the River Brent have started initiatives to purify the contaminated nearby waters.
At Totteridge Place in Quayle Crescent, Crest Nicholson, the builder of the third Barnet-based block where misconnections were found, says it has fixed the issue that was previously reported there.
A spokesperson for Crest Nicholson said: “We are aware of a historic miss-connection issue which has now been resolved. A recent independent survey, conducted with the agreement of Barnet Council, has confirmed that no further works are required.”
What specific actions is Barnet Council taking to enforce against properties pumping sewage into rivers?
In order to find and fix disconnected pipes that are letting sewage run into waterways including the River Brent and River Crane, Barnet Council is collaborating closely with the Environment Agency and Thames Water.
Residents are being made more aware of the significance of appropriate sewage hookups by the council. To avoid misconnections, they advise households to inspect their water flow connections.
Despite not managing privately owned drains and sewers, Barnet Council is empowered to enforce public health laws to resolve drain and sewer-related hazards.
The Environment Agency is in charge of overseeing controlled water courses, and residents are urged to report any indications of pollution or environmental problems to them.