Fears sewage flowing into stream

Members of an environment conservation charity have raised concerns over the potential of sewage flowing into a stream near a West Sussex nature reserve.

Green Circle Network inspected the ghyll stream, which flows from the Bedelands Nature Reserve. reserve in Burgess Hill into the River Adur, and said the site’s state was ‘very sad to see’.

The group found that water in the stream had smelled more than usual over the past few weeks.

Secretary Mary Smith wrote a report on the issue, saying the water was black, staining banks and killing vegetation. The group believe raw sewage is coming from a site north of the Mill Pond.

Councillor Janice Henwood, chairman of the Green Circle network, said: “In the past it was a living steam that ran into the river, with fresh water running through it. The government is depleting resources to the Environment Agency and we know this has been going on for some time.”

The report said grey and slimy algae, common in oxygen-starved water with lots of nitrogen and phosphate, was growing along the stream in profusion – with no other green plants present.

Mary said she informed the Environment Agency of the problem years ago but nothing has been done.

But an Environment Agency spokesman said: “We have not received any recent reports of pollution or odour issues in the Haeselands estate area.”

The agency encouraged members of the public to report environmental incidents on 0800 807060.