UPDATE ON BOTTLE BROOK – KILBURN NATURE RESERVE Kilburn Parish Council – Community Update, September 2026

Residents may recall that KPC mentioned the condition of the brook last year and advised that they were keeping a close eye on the situation and raising concerns with the relevant authorities. Unfortunately, since then the problem has continued and, during 2026, the visible condition of the brook has progressively worsened.

What has happened?

The KPC holds photographs showing the brook in its normal condition during January and May 2024. During major works later that year, a pipe/outlet feeding towards the Nature Reserve was rerouted.

From November 2024 the first slight orange discoloration at the outlet was being seen. By August 2025, the believed contamination was much worse and at sometimes accompanied by an unpleasant smell.

The matter was reported to the Environment Agency, who started to investigate, they advised that iron-rich water was entering the drainage system and that the source may be linked to historic coal-mining activity.

Other authorities were contacted, including Severn Trent and Derbyshire County Council.

Severn Trent advised that the orange deposits were iron ochre and that its testing did not indicate sewage contamination.

The Environment Agency confirmed an initial meeting with the Mining Remediation Authority and said samples would be collected to assess the impact on water quality.

The Environment Agency tested the brook water in November 2025.

What did the testing find?

Chemical and biological samples were taken upstream and downstream. Although the Environment Agency initially advised that the chemical testing showed very little change in water quality, the biological assessment found a notable difference in aquatic invertebrates upstream and downstream.

The Environment Agency report concluded that habitat quality appeared to be impacted somewhere between the two sampling locations, with negative consequences for the downstream macroinvertebrate community.

As far as KPC is aware, no chemical or biological baseline test was taken before the problem began, but it does hold photographic baseline evidence from 2024 of no “contamination” in The Brook.

What happened during 2026?

The Parish Council has continued to monitor and photograph the brook and seek further information and action. An important on-site meeting with Derbyshire County Council took place on 24 April 2026, when the affected watercourse was inspected and video footage was taken on both sides of Derby Road.

At that meeting, the Parish Council was informed that Severn Trent had replaced a damaged large culvert within Derby Road on behalf of DCC and installed the associated overflow/outlet. Previously, water from the culvert followed a different route around the Geoff Cox Motors area and discharged through a pipe in the wall which is now no longer in use.

The DCC representative acknowledged that mine water entering the system was causing the ochre contamination. It was also discussed that the works may have intercepted or connected with historic/disused mine workings, although this point still requires confirmation. DCC agreed to take the matter forward, liaise with the relevant environmental agencies and indicated that further/full water testing would be arranged.

Unfortunately, conditions continued to deteriorate. By May 2026, water from the outlet was flowing continuously, including during a hot and dry period with little rainfall. By August, thick orange/ochre deposits and sludge-like material were accumulating and moving considerably further downstream.

Volunteers have also reported noticeably fewer dragonflies, butterflies, frogs and toads during summer 2026. KPC cannot say the contamination caused these observations, but they have added to our concerns. Bottle Brook continues downstream towards Little Eaton, where juvenile Atlantic salmon have recently been reported.

Where are we now?

Despite continued monitoring, correspondence, site meetings and photographic evidence throughout 2025 and 2026, the KPC remained concerned about the lack of visible progress.

At the Parish Council meeting on 7 September 2026, members received a verbal update that DCC and other relevant governing bodies/authorities were regarding the brook contamination as a low-priority matter. No written decision using this wording has been made to the KPC.

This was particularly disappointing because the brook had visibly worsened rather than improved.

KPC therefore felt that the matter could not simply be left there and agreed that further action was needed to raise awareness and seek answers and as such contacted The Derbyshire Telegraph who will be publishing coverage online and in the newspaper on Monday 14th September 2026.

What still needs to be answered?

The Parish Council is clear that mine water is entering into the system and causing ochre contamination, and they have been given information about the changes made to the culvert and outlet during the works.

Important questions nevertheless remain.

When will further monitoring and testing take place, why the mine water continues to flow constantly through the outlet and can this continuing discharge be managed or stopped, what environmental damage may already have occurred, and whether there could be longer-term effects on the brook and the wildlife that depends upon it.

And if the brook has been environmentally damaged: what actions will they taken, can it be cleaned up or remediated and when? Which organisation will take responsibility for moving this forward.

The Nature Reserve and Memorial Area is cared for by a dedicated group of volunteers and is enjoyed by residents, families and wildlife. Kilburn Parish Council will continue pursuing these answers and will keep residents updated as further information becomes available.

Images from 2025 & 2026

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