A FARMER has spoken of his frustration over a long running pollution dispute.
Grange Moor dairy farmer Stewart Searby claims a fresh water pond on his land is being contaminated by drains from a nearby pub.
Mr Searby claims effluent from the gastropub has caused all life in his pond to die.
But owners of the Kaye Arms, Wakefield Road and its landlords Enterprise Inns deny all claims.
An Environment Agency spokesman told the Express & Chronicle an arrangement to pump the pub’s waste water into the pond had been agreed in 1982.
And he said they had looked into the matter and found no evidence of pollution.
He said: “Because of the objections we worked with the pub to encourage them to think about an improved treatment plant and we set tighter limits.
“We’ve tested the water a number of times and we’ve been happy with the results as they are well within the accepted limits.”
A spokeswoman for Enterprise Inns said: “When we were notified that there was a problem, we took the necessary action to remedy it and have received confirmation from the Environment Agency that there is no leakage from any drains at the Kaye Arms.”
But Mr Searby, who has lived on the farm all his life, is convinced the pub is the source of the problem. “The pub used to have outside toilets and when they moved them they put them into the farm drains. It’s been put right since but then when they put new toilets in three years ago they were going to put the run-off down the drain.
“A few weeks ago they put a hole in the ground and the pipe from the pub has been put lower down to avoid being pumped to the drain and we believe the sewage is going straight to the pond pond.
“We use that for watering the motorbike track and we want clean water.”
