It’s thought as many as 1,000 fish have died after an unknown substance leaked into the River Bollin last week.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency (EA) said brown trout are among the fish found dead in the river after locals reported seeing the water foam up in Macclesfield, Prestbury and Wilmslow on Thursday and Friday.
Parts of the National Trust’s Quarry Bank Mill estate in Styal were also closed to the public over safety fears – as the river flows through the site.
Speaking to the BBC, Nigel Glasgow from the EA said: “It’s quite a devastating impact on this stretch of the River Bollin.
“We would classify it as a category one incident, which is out worst category.”
He said the amount of foam suggested the substance may be a detergent, however staff are still awaiting results from lab tests to determine precisely what it is.
EA officials have been taking water samples over the weekend and trying to work out what caused the issue.
They say they’ve now identified a surface water pipe where the pollution entered the water.
Authorities are now tracing this back along the drainage network to determine the original source of the pollution.
They’ve also been visiting business premises in Macclesfield to try to figure out where the substance originally came from.
Mark Pinches from Friends of the River Bollin, who was also speaking to BBC reporters, said: “It’s a huge tragedy.
“Everyone’s heartbroken because we had fish running, it was starting to look clean and now it’s a dead river.”
EA officers and fisheries specialists continue to investigate pollution on the River Bollin.
All the data will be used as evidence to inform any future prosecutions.
Thank you to all who’ve helped us so far. If anyone has any information call our 24/7 hotline on 0800 807060. pic.twitter.com/zgwHI8WbUy
— Env Agency NW (@EnvAgencyNW) February 25, 2023
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency thanked the public for their help and urged them to be careful about what they put down the drain, as it can have a devastating effect.
They said: “Thank you again to everyone who has helped with our investigation to find out what caused the pollution on the River Bollin.
“We are aware of the circumstances surrounding this incident and have identified where the pollutant entered the river; however investigations are ongoing to understand the source.
“We have environment officers, fisheries and ecology specialists on-site today to gather further evidence and understand the impacts on the river environment, and we are keen to speak to anyone who may be able to assist in helping us understand the source.
“As always remain mindful about what goes down the drain and into the drainage system, especially detergents or substances that could cause a hazard – these small simple steps really do protect water quality.
“Please call our 24-hour hotline on 0800 807 060 to report any further sites of pollution or if you have any information with regards to who may be responsible.”
