Between Lock 4 Blockhouse and Lock 3, Sidbury (Commandery), Worcester & Birmingham Canal

The pollution on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in Worcester has been ongoing since March 2021. Since the Trust was first notified of this, working alongside the Environment Agency, we have located a culvert which enters the canal just below Blockhouse Lock. This culvert carries what is known as the Three Springs Brook – a culverted stream which travels underground over an area of Worcester approximately 1 square mile. The problem with culverted watercourses is that they are underground, so it is very difficult to pinpoint the exact location where pollution is entering the watercourse. Rainwater flows into these watercourses via the surface water drainage system and unfortunately, sometimes brings with it pollution and contamination. Oil and other contaminants can also be poured directly down the surface water drains which result in pollution of the watercourse. This is of course, illegal, but unfortunately this is more common than you might like to think and very hard to ‘catch people in the act’.

Whilst it is still unknown how the oil observed on the canal in Worcester is getting into the Three Springs Brook, the Environment Agency are confident that they have narrowed down the search area.

The Canal & River Trust will continue to report to the Environment Agency, each time pollution is observed on the canal at this location so that we can provide them with further details in order to justify further investigation. If you observe pollution along this stretch of canal, please help us by reporting it to us or directly to the Environment Agency via the contact details below:

Canal & River Trust 0303 040 4040 or online Canal & River Trust 

Environment Agency Incident Hotline 0800 80 70 60