The Environment Agency has told the company responsible for a major pollution on the River Witham that killed at least 100,000 fish they must develop plans to restore the river.

The Agency has served a 'notice of liability' following the pollution incident that killed at least 100,000 fish in Lincolnshire when ammonia entered the river in March this year and caused the worst river pollution ever recorded in Lincolnshire.

The notice requires agricultural and fertiliser company Omex Agriculture Ltd to submit proposals for repairing the river.

The measure has been taken separately to the ongoing investigation under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. An investigation into the circumstances of the pollution continues - further action will be considered once the investigation is complete.

The ‘notice of liability’ has been issued under the Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations 2015 – the company has 28 days to lodge an appeal and until mid-January to submit their proposals.

The notice – only the second the Environment Agency has issued since the regulations came into place – requires the company to develop plans for repairing the environmental damage caused when ammonia entered the river in March 2018.

The ammonia affected the river from Bardney to the Wash, severely impacting the condition of the river and its ecosystems. It is thought to be the worst river pollution incident ever recorded in the county.

Manfai Tang, environment manager at the Environment Agency, said:

“We know the pollution had a devastating effect on delicate river ecosystems, and issuing this notice means the process of helping the river recover to its natural, healthy state can start sooner.

“It’s one way we’re working to protect and improve our environment for local people and wildlife. We look forward to receiving proposals from Omex for review, and working with them to restore the Witham.

After the incident, Environment Agency experts and biologists worked extensively with other organisations to clean up the pollution and mitigate the damage. Fisheries teams have since re-stocked the river with more than 1.5 million fish larvae, including common bream, roach and tench, plus re-introducing around 40,000 roach and common bream ranging from 30 to 40mm long.