A HOLMFIRTH man is worried that a roadside trough may be contaminating water supplies.

But Kirklees says there is no risk from the trough at the top of Thick Hollins Road, near to the junction with Greenfield Road, close to the Ford Inn above Holmfirth.

Stewart Walker first alerted Kirklees officials to the trough which he said was contaminated, possibly with sewage.

The first response from a council official stated: “We have consulted our database and are satisfied that there are no human water supplies in the vicinity on which the trough could be connected.

“The land on which the trough resides is privately owned and therefore maintenance of this supply is a private matter.’’

But Mr Walker was unhappy with the response and insisted that as the trough was next to a road it was Kirklees’ responsibility as any flow could get into the drainage system.

He questioned why samples of the contamination were not taken by officials on the trough immediately and photographs taken.

A Kirklees Council spokesman said: “We have responded to Mr Walker’s concerns and we can confirm that the trough is not connected to any human drinking water supplies.

“We have offered to discuss Mr Walker’s concerns with him and look at any evidence he may have so that, if necessary, we can carry out further checks.

“We have also inspected the trough itself and found there was no visual evidence of sewage or any other contamination at the time of our visit.’’

He added: “It would not be a good use of time or resources for the council to test the contents of water troughs.

“The condition of water can change very quickly. A source which was found to be clear in the morning could become contaminated later in the day which would make testing a continual process.

“We also recommend that unprotected supplies, such as horse troughs, should not be used for drinking water”.