Hillingdon Green party organised a gathering on the 16th November at Moorhall Road Grand Union Canal for people to learn about what was happening to Hillingdon drinking water supplies.
At three sites, (the canal bridge, Blackford pumping station and the water pipe over the Grand Union canal to take away the contaminated water) the Sarah Green explained the long term damage that that HS2 is doing to our water.
Phase One is being constructed through 6 inner source protection zones (SPZ1)s for Public Drinking Water.
Contractors are using polymers in works in the SPZ1s. Polymers contain residuals of the monomer acrylamide which is classified as hazardous in the Water Framework Directive and Groundwater Daughter Directive. Input of acrylamide should be “prevented” from entering groundwater under current laws in England and Wales. Acrylamide is soluble in water, is potentially a carcinogen and mutagen in humans! A carcinogen is something which can cause you to have cancer, a mutagen can make changes in human DNA and affect future generations.
The Updated HS2 Water Framework Directive Compliance Assessment did not include any mention of polymers or acrylamide.
In 2022 HS2 contractors have ‘unexpectedly’ found contaminated water in their cofferdams across the Colne Valley. They have now constructed a contaminated water pipeline along the route of the viaduct to take water which cannot be treated locally, to the South Portal site near the M25, where the HS2 water treatment plant is being extended.
Chemicals of concern in the Colne Valley Viaduct cofferdams include: Nitrite, Chromium (hexavalent), Chromium (trivalent) and Ammoniacal Nitrogen.
There has been consistent omission of spreading contamination from the New Year’s Green landfill site on the eastern edge of the Colne Valley. There is a large underground plume of contamination from the landfill which recently HS2 have admitted is under the southern section of the Colne Valley Viaduct works from the southern embankment to pier 13. The spread of landfill leachate causes long-term damage to the aquifer.
Four public water sources, operated by Affinity water Ltd, are in the Colne Valley, North West London and provide a large amount of public tap water for Londoners and surrounding regions of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Before HS2, 3 of the 4 sources were producing clean naturally purified water meeting drinking water standards which only needed to pass through ultraviolet light before entering the public supply system. In May 2021 the Blackford source on Moorhall Road was closed due to HS2 works close by. It remains closed. Northmoor and West Hyde pumping stations have been fitted with extensive purification systems before the water can enter supply. The public are now receiving mixed water with Thames Water Ltd providing treated water piped tp the area and mixed with the aquifer water.
Arthur Pendragon – Druid Leader blessed the Hillingdon water.
