Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council provides an update on the oil spill that occurred on 15 May 2024 at Bermuda Lake in Nuneaton.
Since then, the Borough Council has been working closely with the Environment Agency, who is responsible for the cleanliness of the water and Severn Trent, who is responsible for the water inlets, to ensure the matter is being dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
Severn Trent has confirmed that evidence suggests the spill originated upstream, with a one-off, third-party event leading to the spill.
The Council can confirm that Severn Trent has taken the following action to protect the lake:
- Installed protective oil absorbent booms around each outfall on 16 May which are monitored and maintained regularly
- Appointed a specialist firm to complete clean-up work, including skimming to remove the oil, performing boom maintenance, and completing any additional safety precautions
- Survey assets to ensure all provisions are working as designed
- Conducted tracing activities to determine the source of the spill
- Appointed their Trade Effluent team to engage with local businesses to ensure compliance with discharge consents
Severn Trent has also confirmed that there has been no sign of additional oil entering the lake and that the precautions taken will remain in place while investigations are ongoing.
The Council continues to work closely with Severn Trent and the Environment Agency to monitor the situation carefully and play its part in ensuring that similar events are prevented from occurring in the future.
We advise residents to continue to stay away from the water and keep pets on a lead around the lake.