New Forest Friends of the Earth, a community-led group monitoring river health, says the Dane Stream remains “dangerously contaminated” with E. coli despite action to fix a burst pipe earlier this month.
The pollution was traced to a rising main at Shorefield Road pumping station, which burst on May 1.
The group said it has since reported raw sewage in the water, a strong smell and dead fish along affected stretches.
Gill Hickman, from the group, said levels remain far above what is considered safe.
She said: “At its peak it was extremely high. It’s now around 20,000, but anything above 900 is classed as dangerous.”
New Forest Water Watch volunteer Sarah Rix with Gill Hicman (Image: Submitted)
Although the leak has been sealed and levels have fallen, she warned that the water is still unsafe.
“People might think because it looks clear that it’s fine, but it definitely isn’t. Water can look clean as snow and still be contaminated,” added Gill.
“It makes me very angry indeed – we’re all very angry. Water companies need to be held to account.”
Southern Water said it took action as soon as the fault was reported.
A spokesperson said: “Following a burst main at our Shorefield Road pumping station affecting downstream water quality in the Dane Stream, we switched off the pumping station and are using tankers to carry flows for treatment while we arrange a repair.
“Independent environmental sampling teams are carrying out weekly sampling of the watercourse and the results are being shared with the Environment Agency.”
The company added that the pumping station remains turned off while repairs are arranged. Southern Water said work has been delayed due to environmental constraints at the site.
Despite these measures, campaigners warn the stream remains a risk to both public health and wildlife.
The group has also launched a fundraiser to pay for testing kits and equipment so volunteers can continue regular monitoring across the New Forest.
Residents are being urged to avoid contact with the water, particularly children and dogs, due to the risk of illness and the impact on wildlife.
Gill added: “We will keep testing and keep reporting, because if it’s not measured, it’s ignored.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We know just how important England’s rivers are to local communities and wildlife, and we welcome the role citizen science monitoring can play in improving our understanding of the environment.
“Rivers and designated bathing waters have very different standards that we measure against and we do not routinely monitor non-bathing waters such as Danestream for E. coli because its presence has no direct impact on the river’s ecology.
“We would however expect the impact of the recent pollution incident, which could include increased levels of E.coli, to continue reducing and we are keeping a close eye on the ongoing repair of the rising main nearby.”