Horror as 'raw sewage' including sanitary products flows into lakes

Watch as ‘raw sewage’ including wet wipes, toilet roll and sanitary products flow out of a water pipe and into two popular lakes – as campaigners slam ‘vile’ stench they fear will impact wildlife

• Freeman’s Cut and Brookfoot Lake in West Yorkshire are latest pollution victims
• The neighbouring River Calder was UK’s second most polluted waterway in 2021 

This is the moment that ‘raw sewage’ was filmed flowing out of a water pipe and into two Yorkshire lakes – as campaigners slammed the ‘vile’ stench they fear will impact the area’s wildlife. 

A pipe, understood to be coming from a local business, has been pumping wet wipes, toilet roll and sanitary products onto marshland surrounding Freeman’s Cut and Brookfoot Lake in Brighouse for almost ten weeks.

The West Yorkshire lakes are used for water skiing and private fishing and host angling sessions for disabled children. The lakes tested positive for high ammonia levels in December.

It comes after the neighbouring River Calder was found by the Mirror to be the UK’s second most polluted waterway in 2021, with 27,901 hours of sewage pumped into it.  

A video shows the contaminated liquid pouring out of a pipe, as debris gathers on a fence and forms a river that eventually crosses the boundary into the lakes. 

This is the moment that ‘raw sewage’ was filmed flowing out of a water pipe and into two Yorkshire lakes

Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency and Calderdale Council have all been involved with investigating the site but, as of February 14, sewage was still flowing into the area. 

Mark Barrow, who runs campaigns highlighting water pollution in Yorkshire said: ‘It’s absolutely appalling.

‘It’s a major concern that this is flowing in and that fish could be contaminated.

‘It’s frustrating. Instead of someone doing job correctly so this doesn’t happen, this has happened and nature suffers.

‘You can see solids in the photographs. That’s how bad it is. The stench is just vile.’

He added that the issue appeared to have arisen from a ‘misconnection’ where a property connected wastewater into the surface water system. 

He added that the owners had been informed and had been encouraged to fix the problem as quickly as possible. 

Mr Barrow said that Brookfoot Lake hosts a private fishing club and receives funding from the Angling Trust to run events for disabled children. 

Water pollution has been spotted in Freeman’s Cut and Brookfoot Lake in Brighouse for almost ten weeks

A pipe, understood to be coming from a local business, has been pumping wet wipes, toilet roll and sanitary products onto the marshland

Mark Barrow, pictured, runs campaigns highlighting water pollution in Yorkshire

Reviews of the lakes online commend them as a great place for walking dogs and as days-out for kids (left is Freeman’s Cut; right is Brookfoot Lake)

A video shows the contaminated liquid pouring out of a pipe, as debris gathers on a fence and forms a river

Locals have complained that the gathering sewage ‘smells and looks disgusting’

Reviews of the lakes online commend them as a great place for walking dogs and as days-out for kids. 

The latest release of sewage is part of a long list of pollution in Britain’s waters. 

Data has revealed the nine biggest water companies — including Thames Water, United Utilities and Severn Trent — received 2,800 written warnings and ‘enforcement actions’ in the past seven years from the Environment Agency. 

Ministers last year promised a rise in the maximum fines from £250,000 following persistent spills.                   

But Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is understood to believe the penalties are ‘disproportionate’ and discussions last week mean water companies are now set to avoid the fines. 

In 2016, the Environment Agency recorded 100,533 hours’ worth of spills. By 2021, that figure had rocketed to 2,667,452.

Andrew Pitts, Calderdale Council’s assistant director said: ‘We are working on an ongoing investigation into the reported watercourse pollution in Brighouse.

‘In cases that relate to a watercourse, we work with the Environment Agency and other organisations such as Yorkshire Water to ensure we protect public health and the wider environment in Calderdale.’

But one local source said: ‘We just want this to end. We’re ten weeks down the line. I’m angry at the water board and council. On certain days, it just smells and looks disgusting.’

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