Council acts to prevent a bad smell at Salford Quays

A company based in Devon has won a contract to prevent the water at Salford Quays turning foul and killing large numbers of fish.

Earlier in the year Salford City Council warned that a sustainable and long-term solution was needed to prevent the water from becoming starved of oxygen which can lead to, “a real potential threat of mass fish kills” and noxious smells.

Such an event would not be welcomed by MediaCity’s flagship tenant, BBC North, quays residents or the managers of the Imperial War Museum and the Lowry theatre.

Water company United Utilities committed £1m to fund the work while a further £900,000 was pledged by the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA), but this offer was rescinded following Government cuts.

Bideford-based Micromac Filtration beat five other companies to the contract which will see it install aeration equipment worth £650,000. The balance of £350,000 will be spent on technical consultancy costs and contingency.

For the past 10 years the water has been aerated with expensive liquid oxygen, a programme funded by English Partnerships. In 2012 the council intends to draw up a business plan for long-term funding.

In July a council report said: “To not resolve this issue [would lead to] the return to mass fish kills/pollution events on the most high profile stretch of the Manchester Ship Canal in front of MediaCity.”