Forum Topic

Is there a pong around Brentford?

The "Ealing Today" websiteis in the same family as BrentfordTW8.comOn their front newspage there is a Report about raw sewage being despatched directly from two small housing estates into the rivers Brent and Crane. These rivers flow downhill towards the River Thames ... and in the case of the River Brent through Brentford and alongside new homes.Not to spoil your evening meal ...I'll leave it there

Jim Lawes ● 48d16 Comments

The "Clean up the River Brent" article on our Front Page ...justifies the OP's observations!The Authories, including Councillors, are not doing their jobs properly ... so the article says.What's that Syon Councillor doing about it. We're NOT being told!

Jim Lawes ● 12d

Sorry couldn't resist, no shit Sherlock. The most expensive water supply company in the UK cannot manage to stop depositing raw sewage into the water course. The directors should be pilloried or at least fined very heavily.

N V Brooks ● 13d

https://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=info&page=eariverbrent008.htmThis is on the Ealing Today website - I didn't notice it here.The adequacy of the main sewage lines needs addressing.

Philippa Bond ● 14d

Thanks for the link to the Rivers Trust map.That also shows the "Hanger Lane CSO" entering the Brent near the Osterley Lock island. The map notes " There is no monitoring data for this Storm Overflow in 2023. Reason: Sensor failure / issue "I was previously puzzled by this being called Hanger Lane CSO despite it being nowhere near the North Circular. Thames Water then told me that the combined sewer overflow starts from Hanger Lane (just south of the big railway bridge for the lines running into Ealing Broadway) cuts across the top of Ealing Common and runs the full length of Grange Road and along the northern edge of Lammas Park before reaching Haslemere Avenue (the Hanwell Harvester pub) and down into the Brent.I suspect that the route had some bearing on the choice of Lammas Park for the big SoDS scheme that is being installed there and which raises contoversy on EalingW5.

Tim Henderson ● 18d

I cycled past Redlees Park Isleworth earlier and there was a distinct Pongy whiff in the air which I assumed was from the Mogden works. Didnt notice it in Brentford or at home this evening.

David Cook ● 18d

... and, of course, the River Brent / Grand Union Canal flow downstream into the River Thames... which will distribute this muck up and down the embankments of this famous waterway.I recall wading on the foreshore of the Thames some 15 years ago, with others including the heroic Nigel Moore (RIP) when THAMES 21 organised a clearup of Brentford's embankment at low tide.Sarah Felstead's son and I decided to take the opportunity to explore Lot's Ait ... which was in an abandoned state. Although it was very low tide, it proved difficult to tread over the filthy light brown mud, half losingour wellington boots etc.We successfully made it, explored the Ait ... finding a stack of stolen bicycles in dismembered form ... but the eternal memory is of the 'orrible dodgy looking mud.

Jim Lawes ● 18d

It's worth having a look at this map  (with thanks to Tony Firkins for the link) - : https://theriverstrust.org/sewage-map The data tells us this about local sewage discharges:- Trumpers Way, Hanwell -"In 2023, this sewer storm overflow spilled 32 times for a total of 64.27 hours, discharging into the River Brent." Mogden - "In 2023, this sewer storm overflow spilled 28 times for a total of 221.10 hours, discharging into the River Thames Tidal."Thames Water's investment plan says, in a very vague and unspecific way -"Trumpers Way, W7 - We expect this location to meet all government targets for storm overflows by 2030-2035."How very encouraging!

Jim Storrar ● 18d

River campaigner (and ex-rockstar) Feargal Sharkey talked about the Brent in his LBC spot "Feargal on Friday" yesterday.https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/feargal-sharkey-donate-1k-charity-thames-water-boss-drink-river-brent-water/As far as we know, the misconnections resulting in sewage getting into the river are upstream of Hounslow but the identity of the building developments has not been revealed. And where the responsibility is for getting to the bottom of it and sorting it out seems muddled.

Tim Henderson ● 18d

Anna,imo nothing is done or said because those who will not rock the boat quite ofthen have skeletons in cupboards,at the risk of overusing metaphors.

Keith Iddon ● 43d

Jim - you did get a response from me, including basically the same response as you thanked Philippa for!

Guy Lambert ● 44d

'Why did the Labour Party select him as a candidate?' - I assume they got taken in by him. What I don't understand is why nothing is said or done about the situation.

Anne England ● 44d

Thank you for that link Philippa.Yes the article "Hundreds of homes' toilets sending waste straight into rivers" is on the front page of the Metro today.So my OP alarm days ago was not frivolous but reality ...seeking a positive response from Brentford's Councillors ...and I failed!A job,perhaps, for that non active Councillor, who we understand, is still picking up his Hounslow allowances but has gone awol.The issue "stinks" too. (Why did the local Labour Party select him as a candidate?)

Jim Lawes ● 44d

It is in the Metro too:https://metro.co.uk/2024/11/18/london-rivers-pumped-full-raw-sewage-errors-new-build-flats-21979241/

Philippa Bond ● 44d

https://ealing.news/environment/two-ealing-housing-developments-flushing-sewage-into-river-brent-and-thames/

Guy Lambert ● 47d

I live right by the Brent and have never smelt anything since the situation at Mogden - which used to smell in Brentford when it was warm - seems to have improved.Of course we know that TW dump stuff in rivers when they run out of tankage - usually I think when it rains a lot - but every estate as far as I know has access to sewers and drainage.If Jim has any information to back up his allegation, let me know where this is and I will follow up.

Guy Lambert ● 47d

There has certainly been a pong in the air for the last few months Jim & i was assuming it was from the sewers. Thames Water not being up to scratch etc so that also makes sense.

Lin Hale ● 47d