Angry residents demand answers about dead fish

Thames Water last week admitted it released a toxic flood of blue-green algae into the water.

Aug 25 2010 By Hilary Gavin, Staines News

IRATE residents who spent last week trying to save fish in the poisoned River Ash are demanding to know, 'What went wrong?'.

Mum-of-two Eve Osborne joined rescuers armed with nets, buckets and paddling pools after spotting fish 'gasping for breath' in Shepperton.

Thames Water last week admitted it released a toxic flood of blue-green algae into the water.

Bosses said the alternative would have meant shutting down Ashford Common Water Treatment Works, which supplies 30 per cent of London's water.

But Eve, of Old Charlton Road, which borders the river, said: "I want to know why the water got into that state. The algae occurs naturally but why did Thames Water let the blooms get that bad.

"Surely they knew if they let the water out, it would kill everything?"

Eve was indoors on Sunday, August 15, when her husband Michael came flying down the garden saying: "Come quick, the fish are dying."

They and neighbours spent the day scooping fish out of the river with nets and putting the minority they managed to save in water-filled buckets or paddling pools.

Eve said: "It was truly awful. The fish were coming to the edge of the river, gasping for air. We made three runs in the car to put some in the Thames.

"I've been told since that you're not supposed to do that, but they were dying."

Eve rang the emergency line for the water board but said they did not know what was going on. She called again when the water turned bright green.

By 1pm the fish were dead. Eve said: "I want someone to give me some sort of explanation and to reassure us it won't happen again.

"I want to know what happened, how it happened and who was responsible."

17/8/10 - Algae in the Jubilee River - August 2010 and still a problem at Slough Weir