Yet again the Mill Pond in Glassmill Lane has been polluted, this time with either petrol or light diesel oil. This was spotted on Saturday morning and reported to the Environment Agency. Thames Water staff have now fitted booms to contain the problem, both at the entrance to the pond, as well as downstream just inside Queens Mead.
This incident is particularly worrying as it comes when ducks etc are starting breeding. Already several moorhen chicks have been lost. This also greatly impacts smaller invertebrates living in the water or silt. In the absence of any rainfall it is to be sincerely hoped that this pollutant will soon dissipate. This part of the Ravensbourne is sadly recognised by Thames Water as a portion ‘hot spot’, with illegal dumping and domestic plumbing misconnections. They are having some difficulties locating many of the sources of such pollution.
The Mill Pond is currently the subject of a plan to upgrade this historic pond. Led by Thames21, with support from the Friends of Bromley Town Parks & Gardens, Environment Agency, Thames Water, etc. it is hoped that funding for this can be agreed in the coming months. In the meantime you can find out more about our plans at http://bit.ly/2hrtoyp
If you wish to get more immediately involved in volunteer days at the Mill Pond please contact chair@bromleytownparks.org.uk
Thank you for the update – I have been asking on twitter each day and checking on the wildlife – today the crane was gone
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Terribly sad incident.. During nesting season too. Hope measures are brought in to prevent this from happening again. Can cameras be fitted to monitor this area?
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This is a sad result of people either pouring toxic materials e.g. cooking oil, into the rainwater drains, or domestic pumping misconnections. Overwhelmingly this happens further upstream rather than at the pond itself. Only (sadly long-term) solution is for Thames Water & EA to track down misconnections etc and get offenders to stop. One of our members visits the site daily and reports any pollution to the Environment Agency, so cameras would be unnecessary and possibly ineffective in this case. With the recent rainfall this has helped disperse the problem (but only fierther downstream). Latest reports seem to show the nesting birds have mostly survived intact (this time).
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The pollution continues. Today was particularly bad. The river starts at Keston, how can in become so polluted in such a short distance.
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Some households mis-connect washing machine outlets etc to surface water drains. Thames Water continue to investigate and enforce but a major problem. There are some 40 official underground connections to river between pond and Westmoreland Road! Also a few people pour waste oil etc down road drains. People are working to make the river better but it will unfortunately take some time. In the meantime please report any such incidents to TW on 0800 316 9800 .
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