Land Drainage Ditch on ede of Fox Corner Nature Reserve

Water was flowing, but did not test as insufficient kit

This is a drainage ditch that was found to be carrying grey water a few months ago. Evidence of recent water flow, but only a few puddles left. Too small and shallow to test. Water seemed clear.

Ditch totally dry. This was reported to usually only flow in winter as it is a land drainage ditch and does not flow in summer. Will only test again if it is flowing.

After find the grey water in the ditch and testing it, we decided to try and find where the water was coming from. Nigel knew where there was a culvert emptying into the ditch and we found a lot of water entering the ditch at that point and the water was quite grey and cloudy.
We went round to a neighbouring road adjacent to the sewage works and saw water bubbling up from the verge before travelling down the road and into road drains.
We went to the Sewage Works to see if there was a number to ring and found some people from Thames Water (sewage works owner) and Affinity Water (drinking water provider). The burst pipe was thought to be drinking water pipe that travels through the edge of the STW before going to the houses.
The pipe had been burst since at least 6am and so it is likely that the water flowing over the road had carreid road debris into the culvert and land drainage ditch.
The land drainage ditch does not flow at any speed, even in winter and a build-up of rotting vegetation is common in it. This may have added to the poor quality of the water on this date.
The Thames Water representative took photos of the data collected at the ditch and Hodge Brook for their information.