Velbert (dpa / lnw) - The amount of liquid manure that leaked out in Velbert on Monday evening is significantly smaller than assumed. According to the district of Mettmann on Wednesday, only 700,000 liters, not two million liters of liquid manure, leaked out of a defective tank on a farm. The farmer, together with neighbors, managed to collect a large part of the tank contents in containers.
According to earlier information from the district, the organic fertilizer flowed into the Hardenberger Bach and then on via the Deilbach to the Baldeneysee in Essen. Eight dead fish had been discovered by Tuesday. There have been no other finds so far, according to a district spokeswoman. The smell of the liquid manure was still noticed in Essen.
According to information from the State Environment Agency (Lanuv), an inspection of possible environmental damage was carried out together with the Düsseldorf district government. The water suppliers were informed as a precaution. Employees are now on the move to continue monitoring the situation. The cause is said to have been a defective seal on the liquid manure tank, which holds 2,000 cubic meters.
In the upper area of the affected section there were liquid manure deposits that were sucked off. The rest flowed on through the creeks that carried a lot of water.
