Here is what to do if you see pollution on any of our waters...
What needs reporting?
Pollution comes in many forms here are a few examples that definitely need reporting
Oily slicks
Oil slick floating on top of the water!
This can come from fuel oil or chemical spillages
Sewerage!
Water smelling of human waste near sewage outlets, Solid human waste floating in the water, this can include faeces, wet wipes, tampons, condoms, cotton bud sticks and anything else that's been flushed. waterworks sometimes have overspills especially after heavy rain
Water has turned a funny colour or frothy ?
If a river or stream has turned a funny colour it could be coming from a spillage or deliberate release, Chemical or otherwise.
White froth on the water can also be a sign of pollution, especially in larger amounts
Farming related!
Farmers spread all sorts onto their land, there is supposed to be an exclusion zone where they are not allowed to spread near waterways,
Leaks or overspills can come from animal and human sceptic tanks, Also Milk spills can very bad for waterways as it deoxygenates the water
if you see any discoloured discharge from farm land please report it, the Farmer may not be aware its even happening.
Cant see anything obvious?
Sometimes there are no obvious signs of pollution but it can still be in the water, if you see large amounts of fish gasping at the waters surface,
fish in distress or more than a few dead fish in one place it could be a sign of pollution and is worth reporting.
Your report could save a whole river system form disaster, as things can be done to improve the state of the water.
One thing not to report
Some of our enclosed still waters have a blue dye added to the water to control weed and algae growth, this is harmless to the fish and wildlife.
When reporting and incident they will ant to know the location of the incident.
The best way of doing this is to install What 3 words on your phone or use the link below to locate a place then it will give you
3 words which you can add to your report to give them a good location.
You can report pollution incidents on the Environment Agency website using the web link blow or by ringing the
EA Incident hotline Telephone: 0800 80 70 60 - 24-hour service
Of course Winsford Anglers would also like to know about any incidents you are reporting,
so that we can get involved in any clear up, and the the fact that we may be able to get on site and do something before the Environment Agency arrive.
Please use the chat service at the bottom right of this page to let us know.
Also thanks for reporting any incidents.
Below are links giving information regarding pollution and Reducing pollution on our Waterways
