Burn hit by spill from sewage station – Video
LARGE quantities of human excrement leaked into Horton Burn at Cramlington following an equipment failure at a sewage plant last week.
The waste, from a nearby treatment station, flooded into the burn on Monday, September 10, due to damage to an overflow tank.
The watercourse, just metres away from 1,500 house, had untreated but filtered human waste discharged into it.
Wayne Daley, county councillor for Cramlington North, said: “Northumbrian Water has informed me the burn has now been cleaned and flushed and that monitors are now in place on the tanks to help prevent this happening again.
“This is extremely worrying as this watercourse attracts many species of birds and water life including voles and fish. Many children catch small fish in nets in the water.
“The stench was unbelievable, and I hope this is never allowed to happen again.”
Alister Barker, communications manager for Northumbrian Water, said: “We investigated as soon as it was reported and cleaned the blockage, jetted and cleaned the area and flushed clean water into the burn.
“There is no apparent lasting environmental impact.
“The equipment has not failed before, and we are going to install additional equipment so it will be ready in the event of a similar blockage occurring in the future.”
n A video to accompany this story can be seen at www. newspostleader.co.uk
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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