Conservation volunteers in Teesdale and County Durham Green Party are calling on Northumbrian Water to fix a pumping station which is leaking raw sewage into Deepdale Beck near Barnard Castle every time it rains.
Martin Bacon of Teesdale Conservation Volunteers says he has complained to the water company and the Environment Agency on several occasions about the pollution and has always been disappointed by their response.
“Every time it rains the beck fills with sewage. The astonishing thing is, Northumbrian Water isn’t breaking the law,” he says. “They are allowed to do this so they have no incentive to fix the pollution problem at Startforth Pumping Station.
“I work near where Deepdale Beck meets the River Tees and it is disheartening to see it so frequently polluted.”
Green Party national Nature Spokesman and County Durham councillor Jonathan Elmer said: “It is appalling to hear Northumbrian Water have failed to repair this damaged sewage pumping station, and instead allow untreated sewage to destroy the beck.
“Unfortunately, Northumbrian Water is not motivated to tackle pollution, but instead to provide dividends to its shareholders. It really is about time water companies were brought back into public ownership”
Media contact
Richard Simpson
County Durham Green Party
07821 537106