Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Stagnant water spilled on garden - HELP!

doctorpaulbelldoctorpaulbell Posts: 8
in Problem solving
I am appealing to the members of this forum for some help with a big problem faced by a friend of mine.

Yesterday (it's not important why) a 4500 litre pool was drained into her garden. It had been filled 6 days ago and unfortunately (again, it's unimportant why) had not been aerated via an electric filter pump  nor chlorinated. You can only imagine the smell of the water, and now the garden.

What should I advise her to do? She is unable to use the garden or indeed open her house windows or back door due to the stench, and of course the neighbours may well be affected too.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. She is desperate!


«13

Posts

  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Hmm. As far as the plants are concerned, chlorinated would probably have been worse. Was it filled with tap water 6 days ago? Or did it come from somewhere else? What sort of plants does she have - a lawn? Trees? Bedding plants? Is the soil heavy - is the water sitting on the surface or has it soaked in?
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    It's much better than if it had been chlorinated! I don't quite understand why the water should be so smelly, I've forgotten and left water in buckets for much longer than 6 days and it's not that noxious. There is nothing to do except wait, the water and the small will disperse, and most plants should be ok.
    More to the point why was it drained into her garden at all? There are surely restrictions on doing such things, though I don't know the details, someone else will for sure!
  • doctorpaulbelldoctorpaulbell Posts: 8
    Yes, it was filled with tap water six days ago. Most of her plants are potted and raised above the garden (for example on chairs etc.) and the garden is mostly lawn with a couple if trees. The water appears to have sunk in rather than pooling on the surface.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I'm confused at to why six day old water would have a stench. It's not that long.
    Was it some kind of garden pond?


  • doctorpaulbelldoctorpaulbell Posts: 8
    The draining was an accident caused by her son whilst she was away in hospital. She lives alone and whilst unexpectedly in hospital the lack of chlorination and lack of aeration would have contributed to the stagnation and bacterial growth, although I am surprised at how much of a smell has developed in only 6 days.
  • doctorpaulbelldoctorpaulbell Posts: 8
    Apparently it was going to be used as a bathing pool in the event of hot weather.
  • doctorpaulbelldoctorpaulbell Posts: 8
    As well as being concerned about the smell both for her and her neighbours, she is concerned about any damage the bacteria-laden stagnant water might do to the lawn.
  • doctorpaulbelldoctorpaulbell Posts: 8
    Would putting fresh water onto the lawn help, so as to dilute the stagnant water such as remains?
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Why would six day old water cause such a fuss? What else was in the “pool” to cause it to be a potential hazard to the garden? 
  • doctorpaulbelldoctorpaulbell Posts: 8
    Nothing else apart from two frogs which had moved in. The reason the water has caused such a fuss is the astonishingly strong smell which is to a non-expert like me evidence of much bacterial growth and potentially hazardous to the lawn/trees.
Sign In or Register to comment.