Investigations into pollution of the water in Poise Brook are ongoing
A sign on the bridge over Poise Brook, which runs through Torkington Park(Image: Manchester Evening News)
A brook which runs through a busy Stockport park is being polluted by wastewater from nearby properties with ‘misconnected’ drains, it has been claimed.
Signs have been posted around the section of Poise Brook, which runs through Torkington Park in Hazel Grove, advising children and dogs are not allowed to play in the water.
They say: “Pollution In Stream. United Utilities are investigating foul water pollution entering this stream. Please do not let children or dogs play in the stream. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
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The park, which is just off the A6 and popular with families, contains a play area, tennis courts, and a famous rainbow sculpture.
The Manchester Evening News understands a number of reports of contamination of the water in the area have been made over the past year. United Utilities (UU) and the Environment Agency (EA) both say the issue is the result of household ‘misconnections.’
A property usually has two types of drains that take water away, a ‘foul’ drain which takes wastewater from toilets, sinks, showers, baths, washing machines and dishwashers, which then goes to a wastewater treatment works.
There is also a surface water drain which takes rainwater directly to local watercourses, streams and rivers.
A ‘misconnection’ occurs when a building’s drains are incorrectly connected to the sewer network. This can be the result of incorrect plumbing, which is often unintentional, but it can cause multiple issues for the sewer system and local waterways.
It is a homeowner’s legal responsibility to rectify the issue once alerted. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, it is an offence to cause pollution through misconnected drains, and local authorities have powers to take enforcement action against homeowners who fail to fix them. The 2010 Building Regulations also allow local authorities to intervene where drainage systems have been incorrectly installed or inadequately maintained.
A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We are working with both Stockport Council and the Environment Agency to trace the source of misconnections in the Hazel Grove area. If appropriate, we will then notify individual homeowners so that they can take steps to rectify the issue.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We understand the local concern about the continued presence of pollution in this stream.
“The contamination is persisting as wastewater from a number of properties in the area is flowing into the surface water drainage system, rather than the sewage system.
“It is a property owner’s legal responsibility to understand their drainage arrangements and ensure any misconnections are resolved. We have attended the site and taken steps to ensure that the situation is thoroughly investigated.”
A Stockport Council spokesperson confirmed they were assisting with the investigation into the issue.
