I
Ian Cloke
Guest
FISH rescued from a St Albans city-centre pool after a sewage spillage have died despite being taken to another location.
The fish were removed as a precaution after sewage leaked into the pond outside the Alban Arena last week.
Now the pool has been drained, cleaned and replanted and new fish are due to be reintroduced soon.
District council staff first noticed that sewage appeared to have flooded out of a manhole and polluted the pond.
Contractors were called in to check the drain but discovered a blockage in the main sewer which is owned by Thames Water.
The company cleared the blockage and followed this up with a CCTV inspection of the blocked drain but no further problems were found.
A spokesperson said: "The blockage in our sewer was caused by a normal build up of debris but unfortunately it flooded and caused a leak into surface-water drains which caused the pollution of the pond."
The fish were taken to Shuttleworth College near Biggleswade which has a department dealing in fisheries but it was unable to save them. The college has now offered to replace the 45 fish which were taken from the pond with 50 new ones.
District council heritage and tourism portfolio holder, Cllr Melvyn Teare, whose brief includes the city centre, said: "While we were concerned about the fish, the main concern was for public health and we felt it was essential that the pond should be drained of its polluted water, cleaned and refilled."
He added: "We are very grateful to Shuttleworth College for its offer to replace the fish.
The fish were removed as a precaution after sewage leaked into the pond outside the Alban Arena last week.
Now the pool has been drained, cleaned and replanted and new fish are due to be reintroduced soon.
District council staff first noticed that sewage appeared to have flooded out of a manhole and polluted the pond.
Contractors were called in to check the drain but discovered a blockage in the main sewer which is owned by Thames Water.
The company cleared the blockage and followed this up with a CCTV inspection of the blocked drain but no further problems were found.
A spokesperson said: "The blockage in our sewer was caused by a normal build up of debris but unfortunately it flooded and caused a leak into surface-water drains which caused the pollution of the pond."
The fish were taken to Shuttleworth College near Biggleswade which has a department dealing in fisheries but it was unable to save them. The college has now offered to replace the 45 fish which were taken from the pond with 50 new ones.
District council heritage and tourism portfolio holder, Cllr Melvyn Teare, whose brief includes the city centre, said: "While we were concerned about the fish, the main concern was for public health and we felt it was essential that the pond should be drained of its polluted water, cleaned and refilled."
He added: "We are very grateful to Shuttleworth College for its offer to replace the fish.