Home / Disasters and Accidents / Milk Spill Pollutes Tiverton Stream
Milk Spill Pollutes Tiverton Stream
25 Mar
Summary
- About 1,750 gallons of milk spilled into a stream Tuesday morning.
- The milk was released from a farm into a watercourse feeding the River Exe.
- Environmental damage is expected to be limited due to quick actions.
A significant clean-up operation was initiated near Tiverton following the accidental release of approximately 1,750 gallons (8,000 litres) of milk into a local stream early Tuesday morning. The incident occurred at about 03:00 GMT when milk escaped from a farm, entering a watercourse that feeds into the River Exe.
The farmer and a delivery driver promptly alerted authorities, enabling the swift implementation of a plan to minimize environmental impact. Recognizing that milk can deplete oxygen levels in water, potentially harming aquatic life, measures were taken to contain the spill.
Within minutes, the farmer constructed a temporary dam to prevent further spread. Environment Agency teams then began pumping the spilled milk onto adjacent fields, allowing the soil to absorb it safely. Officers tracked the pollution's path for over 5 miles downstream towards Tiverton, taking critical dissolved oxygen readings.
