Water company says sorry after caking rural Shropshire pub in dust clouds from silt disposal tractors

South Staffs Water were spreading the silt, a by-product of it water treatment works, onto fields opposite the Bull's Head Inn in Chelmarsh, near Bridgnorth earlier this week.

But clouds of the dust were blowing across the fields and caked the exterior of the rural pub, just as drinkers were hoping to take advantage of the sunshine.

Landlady, Norma King said it went on for three days. “Our customers have been trying to make good use of this unseasonable, but welcome weather, and many have attempted to eat outside,” she said. ”We have cleaned the tables in the garden area several times, but most of our customers came back inside the pub as they were choking on the clouds of dust.

“The cars on the car park are also coated in thick dust, as are all of the windows of our property and of our neighbours.

“South Staffs Water know that there is an alternative way of doing this job. The decrepit road sweeper that they are using is just a token, it is creating more dust and is totally ineffective.

“We really should not have to tolerate this appalling state of affairs, anyone with respiratory problems is going to really suffer with all of this heavy dust dust in the air that may contain goodness knows what!

“We have had a complaint from the driver who delivers our fresh vegetables every day. He has shown us that when he opened the doors of his van a huge cloud of dust from a departing tractor went straight into the back of his van covering the fresh produce. Disgusting!”

John King added: "It has been going on for years it had and they always seem to do it when the sun is out.

"It is the last thing we need at he moment. Thanks to the budget changes, out costs have gone up £22,000 this year what with the National Insurance rise and so forth.

"We've had people staying in the B&B rooms who have left their windows open and found the rooms caked in dust. It gets on your tongue and you can taste it. It's revolting. South Staffs Water have other ways to get rid of this. Or they can plan this better when people are not going to be sat outside trying to enjoy the good weather." 

South Staffs Water has apologised and said they have cancelled the silt spreading for the time being.

A spokesperson said: “Silt, a by-product of our water treatment process, is taken from our treatment works and spread onto company-owned fields. The spreading process is licensed by the Environment Agency, and the company employs local farming contractors to carry out the transfer and spreading processes.

“There are three fields by the Bull’s Head pub in Chelmarsh that are utilised twice a year as we rotate the fields that are used. The silt is spread on fields to improve soil fertility; there is no alternative method to remove this from our treatment process.

“The dust cloud that has drifted into the vicinity of the pub has been caused by tractors entering the field which is located opposite the Bull's Head.

“A road sweeper is used to suppress any dust that is generated during periods of dry weather and to clear any mud that is deposited onto the local roads during the wet weather. Earlier in the week, when we recognised the dust suppression was ineffective due to the wind direction, our operatives stopped, and we cancelled the work.

“We're sorry if this essential work caused any disruption to the local community on this occasion.”