Concerns Raised About 'Toxic' Lammas Park Ponds

Water quality test shows high levels of E.coli

A pipe feeding surface water drainage into Lammas Park (left) and a test being carried out on the water (right).

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March 4, 2025

Concerns about water quality in the new ponds in Lammas Park have been raised after tests showed high levels of E.coli.

A local resident carried out the analysis which he says shows that the levels are more than three times the limit for river water. The council says an urgent investigation has been launched after it was informed of his results.

His reading of 3603 E.Coli/100ml Colony Forming Units using a Fluidion Alert One Analyser which is categorised as ‘Very High’ risk and enough for him to urge people to keep children and dogs away from the ponds.

The NHS recommends thorough handwashing if you come into contact with water with this level of pollution. It can take three to four days for symptoms to appear but sometimes it is as long as two weeks. Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and occasionally fever. About half of people with the infection will have bloody diarrhoea. A small number of people with E. coli infection go on to develop a serious condition called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). The risk of this is highest in children aged under 5 years.

The water in the park which is part of Ealing Council Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) scheme is derived from surface water drains in the area. The intention is that the ponds provide extra capacity to reduce the risk of flooding in the area.

The resident has observed what he says is sewage contamination coming from the pipes feeding into the park he says, “The grey water and brown sludge is clearly visible. The water in the discharge pipe also smells of sewage.”

The project has left large sections of the park unusable

Leader of the Liberal Democract oppostion, Cllr Gary Malcolm said after a recent to the park, "The works have not gone to plan. A large chunk of the park has been out of action for over a year and it is in a far worse state then when the works started. Whilst the aims of the project may be laudable, this is another example of Labour mismanagement of a project and its inability to manage contractors properly. Residents deserve a public meeting so they can begin to get answers about what has gone wrong and how it will be fixed."

He has written to Labour Councillor Ray Wall, Chair of Ealing Council Planning Committee, to back residents’ call for the retrospective planning application relating to the project to go to Committee, and not to be decided by Council officers.

The council says it is aware of potential concerns and that measures are being taken to ensure that water quality in the ponds is as high as possible.

It is pointed out that the safety limits used are for water standards for recreational waters where people may swim or bathe and that these would not apply to wetland habitats were acceptable levels of E.coli can be different.

An Ealing Council spokesperson said, “The issue of potential contamination has been brought to the attention of Thames Water and we have asked them to urgently investigate.

“The council is committed to ensuring water quality is acceptable in Lammas Park, and all, environment(s) and we are currently in the process of carrying out our own water quality inspection and monitoring.”