Pollution disaster plan mooted for Heath Pond

PETERSFIELD town councillors have been urged to put a disaster plan in place to save the Heath Pond from major pollution if fuel was accidentally spilled on nearby roads.

Petersfield fisherman and former mayor of the town, John Crowhurst, told town councillors last week he was concerned about the dangers to wildfowl and fish because road gully drains on Heath Road West and Sussex Road flowed directly into the Heath Pond.

Speaking to members of the grounds committee on Thursday night, he said the potential danger had been highlighted recently when cooking oil, which was being transported for recycling, had been spilled.

The accident had been quickly dealt with and no damage was done to fish or wildfowl.

"But if there was an accident involving damage to the fuel tank of a very large vehicle spilling hundreds of litres of fuel it would put fish and wildfowl at considerable risk, with all the cost implications of dead fish and damage to the eco system in the pond," he said.

"Could the council tell me what steps they might or should take to minimise the pollution risk of the road drains pouring water into the pond?" he asked councillors.

Mr Crowhurst said the road drainage system had been built at a time when the risk had been minimal, but it was something which should be considered now that vehicles of 44 tons were using the roads.

The problem was made worse by the fact that it had been difficult to establish exactly where the water drained into the pond, he told councillors.

The normal way of filtering water in these situations, he claimed, was through reed beds at certain positions around the pond, which he believed would even cope with diesel pollution.

He said the drains could not be blocked as they were among the the main sources of water to the pond.

The chairman of the committee, Chris Jenner, agreed the council needed a plan in case "the worst came to the worst".

He told fellow councillors: "I believe John has a very valid point here," and asked that the matter should be placed on a future agenda for discussion by councillors.