Pollution fears as River Tame runs milky white

FEARS have been raised over contamination in the River Tame after the water ran a mysterious milky white colour for more than an hour.

Uppermill postmaster Councillor Graham Sheldon immediately contacted the Environment Agency when he saw the change in colour.

He said: “The river was just completely white. I rang the Environment Agency who asked if there were any fish in distress or jumping out of the water but I couldn’t see anything.

“I don’t know what could have caused it but the fear is that it is somebody that is dumping stuff in the river and risking real contamination.”

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said that inspectors had visited the river but by the time they reached Uppermill there was no sign of the mystery colour change.

She said: “The river is quite quick moving and with the rain it is likely whatever it was got washed away.

“Our team investigated the area and couldn’t see any obvious site where the substance was coming from.”

It’s not the first time that there have been concerns raised about the river that runs through Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross and Delph. Raw sewage was found to be flowing in the river in 2001 in Dobcross while just last year the same problem in Delph put a halt to a submersion baptism in the village.

Mr Sheldon added: “Pollution making its way from drains shouldn’t happen these days but I suppose it could have been a possibility.

“It must have been a fair amount though. The river ran white for over an hour and a half.

“It could have been going for quite a while.

“I’m worried that people are dumping things overnight under cover of darkness.”

The Environment Agency have urged anyone that may know any information or witness similar happenings in the future to contact 0800-80-70-60.