Have Bentham Residents been lied to again?
Yesterday I came across some disturbing images in a local Facebook group, not the type you might think, however, this one could show that yet another 'Authority' maybe lying to Bentham Residents.
These images where shared showing the flow of drinking water in the area from the Embsay Reservoir to multiple towns around the reservoir.
Embsay Reservoir is located by Skipton and covers a large area of land from Keighley to Gargrave and across to Bentham and Ingleton.
One thing to highlight is that we 'believe' the Reservoir itself is not contaminated with pollution from Angus Fire, but, locally it could be. I'm guessing this is the reason that Angus Fire felt it neccersary to test it's onsite tap water.
What's clear from these images is that water from the Embsay Reservoir, goes through the Yorkshire Water system and into a "Service Reservoir" near Clapham Just east of Bentham. The image below explains what a Service reservoir is.
Its quite unnearving that a reserve reservoir can be uncovered. But, the question still remains is the Clapham Reservoir a covered or uncovered SRE?
Last year when the PFAS Pollution issue came to our attention, Yorkshire Water told us quickly and catagorically that "water in Bentham comes from the Embsay Reservoir and it Did not have PFAS in it", was this only a partial truth?
What is actually clear after a little investigation, is that although our water does come from Embsay
Reservoir originally, there are two SREs that could supply our
area (in Bentham, Ingleton etc) are within the 9.32 Mile Angus Fire pollution zone and the SRE could be uncovered. Needless to say if it were covered it doesn't necessarily mean it's safe due to the way an Aquifer works (ie water soaks through soil and the permiable rock into groundwater).
It could also suggest why Mr Williams (CEO of Angus Fire) was adament that "Tested
Drinking Water (Tap) on the (Angus Fire) site was 'safe' and 'PFAS' free".
But, it could also explain why he was not willing to share the test
results with Cleaner Bentham or the Towns residents.
It brings to mind a joke, "How do you know your boss is lying? His lips move" (ok originally it was a politician not your boss)...
The Image above shows a tested borehole near Austwick, unfortunately, the testing location can be changed to anywhere within 1km of the actual location.
We also know Yorkshire Water has five boreholes just outside Clapham to the East of Bentham and slightly North East of the "pollution", we know that private testing can take place, but logically if you don't wan't residents to know (and panic) that a Yorkshire Water Borehole is polluted (and potentially an SRE) you shift the location away from that problem. Yorkshire Water (Authority) owns all 5 boreholes just North of the Clapham "Reservior".
What is interesting is that Riverside Caravan Park has been registering PFAS in it's water at the very least since 2018. Ends was told in 2024 that the caravan park was on 'Mains Water", something that not been confirmed independantly.
An EIR from North Yorkshire (which has taken us a year to obtain) claims that NYC didn't start testing at the Caravan Park (CP) until 2024, (which is odd as CB has NYC testing results from 2018, 2020 and 2021 showing PFAS in the supply at the CP and surely the EA and NYC spoke about this).
However, 'if' the owner of the CP is telling the truth and the CP is on mains (or has been for a while), then a polluted SRE would explain why the CP is still getting positive test results for the (PFAS) chemicals in the 2024 and 2025 test results done by NYC from the CP sites Tap and Drinking Water. (58, 59, 60) It could also prove Paul Williams to be a liar (again).
We are waiting for a reply from Yorkshire Water on where the SRE for Bentham is, however, I would think with the "wagons circling" at YW, NYC, Riverside and Angus we may have to fight again, using the ICO to make YW release this information which is very much public interest, and could show the water in our taps could (still be) very well be hazordous to health.
Unless the authorities that are meant to protect us start taking responsability we believe our health is still very much at risk, and if this is the case at the very least people in these Entities/Authorities should be sacked if not put on trial Criminally .
So, is Benthams drinking water polluted and we have been lied to? Only time will tell we will update this blog when we have more information.
Sources:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/location_and_designations_of_ser
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reservoirs-owner-and-operator-requirements
A I internet searches using duck.ai