The Society is concerned about the very poor quality of the water in the abandoned section of the New River which runs through the town and the park. There have been reports of foul smelling water and even dead fish. Considering the New River Loop is a distinctive feature of the town, its current state is a sad reflection on those bodies charged with its up-keep.
We have been in-touch with both Councillors and council Officers. To date there is no clear explanation. Poor water quality may partly be explained by the continuing failure with the Sadlers Mill Stream pump at Parsonage Lane which has been out of action for most of the past year.
We understand that responsibility for water quality falls between a number of agencies, including the Environment Agency and Thames Water. As a result no one appears willing to step up and sort out the problem.
We continue to press LBE for action and would welcome more evidence of neglect.