Bradford volunteers protecting and promoting Bradford Beck

Volunteers in Bradford are working to protect and promote Bradford Beck, in partnership with Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency and Bradford Council.

The Friends of Bradford Beck are using the Pollution Watch app, created with support from Yorkshire Water, to record observations of the beck, including water discolouration and the wildlife thriving along the watercourse.

Since March, 1,346 observations have been made by 17 volunteers, an average of 5 a day. Outfalls were identified in 117 observations, triggering investigations by Yorkshire Water’s Customer Field Services team.

After water quality testing, camera surveys inside sewers, dye testing and discussions with customers Yorkshire Water has identified dozens of misconnections of foul and grey water into surface water sewers that should only carry rainwater into the beck. Many of these misconnections have been fixed by Yorkshire Water, or the customers responsible, but work continues on several others.

Matt Hill, environmental lead advisor at Yorkshire Water, said: “Bradford Beck is a vital community resource providing a sense of the countryside in the city, so it is important we work together to protect it.

“The Friends of Bradford’s Becks are providing vital information about discolouration incidents. Often these incidents are not linked to our assets directly, but caused by misconnections linked to homes and businesses in the area.

“The information has improved the effectiveness of our sewer network repair and maintenance, especially when volunteers identify a specific outfall causing discolouration. This has helped boost the overall health of the beck.”

Barney Lerner, Chair of Friends of Bradford’s Becks, said: “This joint project is working well, thanks to the sterling efforts of the volunteers, and Yorkshire Water’s allocation of people and equipment to follow up on sightings.

“Between us we are making a concerted effort to reduce the amount of pollution in Bradford’s Becks. Alongside our other collaborative projects with the Environment Agency, Bradford Council and the Wild Trout Trust to improve the ecology and appearance of the becks, we are slowing improving Bradford’s Becks as a contribution to a better Bradford.