Action urged over waterway turned 'milky-white'

The Environment Agency (EA) has been urged to take action after chemicals were allegedly repeatedly dumped in water.

Northumberland county councillor Wayne Daley said Horton Burn has been turned a milky-white colour several times in recent months due to substances being discharged.

Daley said: "Enough is enough - the Environment Agency has to act," adding: "If they don't, it is a green light for any business to dump waste."

The EA said it had three ongoing investigations into incidents on the burn, that it was working with the council and Northumbrian Water and would "exercise" its regulatory powers "if needed".

Daley added: "Whether deliberately or accidentally, something is being discharged into the watercourse and it ends up outside people's houses.

"Unless there is action seen to be done, nothing will change. I want prosecutions and I want that to be made public."

He continued: "We need the Environment Agency to take the evidence and get whichever business it is to be held responsible.

"I'm at the point where I'm increasingly exasperated," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Responding to Daley's comments, an EA spokesperson said it was unable to comment on specifics but that it was "reviewing and gathering further evidence to inform a decision on possible enforcement".

"We will exercise our full range of regulatory powers - including potential prosecution - if needed."

It urged anyone with concerns or information to report it to the EA.

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