Warning as sewage leaks into water in green spaces

People are being warned to stay away from a brook that runs through several south-west London green spaces after a sewage leak.

In a post on X, Wimbledon and Putney Commons said "sewage has entered Beverley Brook on Wimbledon Common".

It added Richmond Park and Barnes Common were also affected, as Royal Parks issued a similar warning.

Thames Water said it was working to repair a burst mains pipe and was "using tankers to ensure no further discharge".

The post by Wimbledon and Putney Commons advised that "people and dogs should keep out of the brook, from Wimbledon Common and downstream".

Beverley Brook is nine miles (14.4km) in length, according to the South East Rivers Trust.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: "Our teams are working to repair a burst rising main in the area, and we are using tankers to ensure no further discharge.

"An assessment of what mitigation measures need to be carried out will take place shortly."

A Royal Parks spokesperson said it was made aware Thames Water "suffered a sewage leak in the Kingston Hill area" and "unfortunately, some of this leakage has reached the Beverley Brook, upstream of Richmond Park through the surface water drainage network".

“Thames Water has attended the site to resolve the situation, and the Environment Agency has been made aware," they added.

"Any contamination will flow through the brook in due course, however we are closely monitoring the situation.

“For health and safety reasons, we advise people and dogs to keep out of the water.”

Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, said: "Thames Water has polluted our rivers and streams for years.

"After decades of underinvestment, their network is coming apart at the seams and it's our communities that are suffering.

"Beverley Brook is a haven for wildlife in south-west London but, with every new sewage spill, we're at risk of losing this special corner of London."

She added the previous Conservative government had "turned a blind eye to the crisis in the water industry for far too long".

"Labour need to urgently take Thames Water into special administration, clean up our rivers, and start putting communities first."

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: “This government will never look the other way while water companies pump record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.

“We will strengthen regulation, crack down on water companies and begin the work of cleaning up Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas."

The Water (Special Measures) Bill will be an immediate step to "strengthen regulation to reverse the tide on the unacceptable destruction of our waterways", added the spokesperson.

This will include new powers to "ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers”, they said.

The Conservative Party has been approached for comment.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]