Harlow stream turned red by a soluble dye, Environment Agency finds

Environment officers investigating why a water course had turned red said they had "traced the source of the pollution to a nearby industrial estate".

An on-going investigation by the Environment Agency into Canons Brook in Harlow, found the cause of the pollution to be a water soluble dye.

The discolouration is the third incident to be reported to the agency in the past few months.

The agency said it had "not witnessed any impacts to fish or wildlife".

A spokesman for the Environment Agency added its officers would return to the site should they receive any reports of wildlife being affected.

"Working with the water utility company, we have traced the source of the pollution to a nearby industrial estate where we are working with the site operator to mitigate the impacts and to prevent another recurrence," he said.

In August, Canons Brook, which leads to the River Stort, turned bright blue but agency officers failed to trace the source.

At the time a nearby farm said it was not the first time it had happened, and it was "very concerning" as the stream was a water source for crops, and children and pets played in it.

The Environment Agency also found no evidence of harm to wildlife on that occasion either

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