Severe sewage pollution in Youds Level again

J

Jenny P

Well-known member
On Dec. 2nd. a caving party reported severe sewage pollution in Youds Level. 

The exit from the Youd's Level comes up in the childrens' playground next to the river in Matlock Bath and the raw sewage is being discharged straight into the river.

This had been an ongoing problem for many years and action was taken earlier this year to remedy the situation.  However, clearly this has not solved the problem and DCA has again notified appropriate authorities and requested urgent action as this is a public health issue. 

We'll keep you informed of progress as far as we can.


Jenny Potts
Hon. Secretary, Derbyshire Caving Association,
 
I wasn't on the trip but from what I hear "severe" is a little over the top, they suggested it was only in the first metre or two, and they'd otherwise had a great trip. I assume it's the same trip as the date is right.

Can't comment further as I've never been in there.
 
Bottlebank said:
I wasn't on the trip but from what I hear "severe" is a little over the top, they suggested it was only in the first metre or two, and they'd otherwise had a great trip. I assume it's the same trip as the date is right.

Can't comment further as I've never been in there.
Click to expand...

We can only go on what was reported on Sunday 2nd. Dec. - someone took the trouble to contact me to alert DCA and also reported it at the Mining Museum.  It will be checked out anyway but the problem should not now be occurring as work was done during the summer to prevent the sewage pollution happening again.

Jenny Potts,
DCA Hon. Sec.
 
A group of us from the TSG did go in on Saturday morning, doing the downhill route.

A mild 'tangy' smell was noticed at the T-junction of the coffin-level end with Ringing Rake proper, which then follows the toadstone/limestone boundary back to the river. No appreciable increase until we reached the tufa arching, where it did get stronger, and a considerable amount of macerated toilet roll was seen in the stream, amid the usual grey water from laundry.

As we approached the ladder, the smell became rapidly more disgusting, and clearly smelled like fresh shit now, as opposed to 'matured', if that makes any sense. I was holding my breath by this point. Once on the ladder, it was fine, so sucking air in presently. The draught was always in our faces for the entire trip, but no smell until the end. However, I'm not happy about crawling through that kind of thing generally, and if I do the trip again may consider using the Deep Shaft as an exit, avoiding most of the sough. I quite like a brutal prussink at the end of a trip anyway, and far preferable to that bloody coffin level, which ruins my back. They were obviously midgets in those days!

We couldn't see anything significant in the outfall pipe on the riverbank though, if we were looking at the correct one - certainly not what one would call 'raw sewage'. Lisa took a few photos of the wall staining in case any is fresh, and I'm sure they'll be forwarded on to the appropriate persons.
 
Well, none of us have got dysentery yet, as far as I know. So it may smell worse than it actually is, but I'm generally cautious around other people's excrement. Seems like a sensible approach to me. It would be good to know where the sewage is meant to go, relative to the sough tail, as previous remedial work doesn't seem to have succeeded. Maybe its proximity

While I remember, there was also a very peculiar waterproofed  note left inside the lid, that referred (in a rather confusing way) to police, paedophiles and the children's playground. It mentioned UKCaving in the text, which is why I mention it. It was confusing as I couldn't completely discern the point of the note (and didn't want to hang around inside), but the reference to the police wasn't flattering, it mentioned handing out sweeties, and the fact it was inside the lid suggests caver or mine explorer involvement.

It was all very weird, and gave the impression that someone had an ongoing grudge about something, but I couldn't work out what. Seemed to cut both ways really. Can anyone shed any light on this? I think the sough tail is technically the responsibility of the Mining Museum, or at least access is, and I'm sure they may be concerned as the location of the note was clearly designed for it to be read upon exit/entry.
 
pwhole: I can't remember what it said, but the thing on the lid was read by a party of four of us a while back and all of us concluded it was a joke and a bit of a wind up.

 
The sough on the river side of the road will be DDDC's property but it's my understanding PDMHS have a long-standing agreement to be "keyholder" for the way in (having installed it in the first place) and to that end, it's kept at the Mining Museum.

If I get chance over the holidays I'll go and grab the key, take a look at the state of the outflow and take the notice off the lid.
 
Surely the question should be where is the crap coming from?, it is obviously untreated and going into a main watercourse, a very serious offence to be dealt with by the relevant water authorities.
 
Please note that action has already been taken to bring the situation to the attention of the appropriate authorities; this includes photos taken inside the sough and a detailed report.  The folks at the Peak Mining Museum have already been informed of the state of the last section of passage.

It probably isn't helpful to have a daft notice attached inside the lid so it would be good if someone removed this.

DCA will be watching closely to see that the matter is taken seriously and that any action promised is carried out as quickly as possible.  We'll try to keep people informed of progress.

Jenny Potts,
DCA Hon. Sec.



 
Just out of interest, has anyone used the 81m Deep (Day) shaft as an entrance/exit to the system recently? I know it lies on Greenhills Farm land, but have never been up there. Presumably you just go and ask permission? I'm quite taken with the idea of using the two shafts for a trip, but also unsure as to how far on surface one would have to walk (and if there's public access) down to the car park for the usual 2-location parking. Or whether it's easier to walk back up the hill to the top parking?

Also wondering what the shaft top is like - grilled, sleepers? And also whether there are any bolts installed or is it a scaff bar job? If it's the usual downhill route, it would be good to know any pre-rigging would be safe - either to us or livestock. Or rope-fiddlers...

And finally, has anyone actually climbed up the usual entrance shaft? Just for fun? I'm quite tempted by it as an exercise of controlled claustrophobia with only a Pantin to talk to ;)
 
From recollection, I think there were two shafts near Greenhills, one of which was sleepered and one of which had some sort of lid on it, not quite sure which one is which without consulting the relevant bulletin.
 
IIRC I think I heard that some of the Masson CC went down Day Shaft a couple or three years back for a trip so you could try asking them. Or Owd Git (Ric) might know. Shame the pollution's back in Youd's, disappointing that the last lot of rememdial work seems not to have sorted it after all  :yucky:
 
Hi Phil, getting back up gentlewoman's shaft (if that's what you were asking), is fine, we've done it quite a few times when just ratting about in that part of the mine - its a lot less tight than ascending Nettle
 
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