Following fruitless attempts to clear silt from Verulamium Lake last month, the district council is trying a different approach.
Concerns have been raised by residents about the condition of the St Albans lake as the level of silt rises, with some complaining about the sight and smell of the stagnant water.
Last month St Albans council used a small digger to remove silt which had broken the surface of the water at the end of the lake near the Fighting Cocks pub.
But this approach, which was deemed a temporary solution by the council, did not make a big enough difference.
Richard Shwe, St Albans council’s head of community services, said: “Attempts to remove the silt by a JCB digger had some impact but not as much as we would have liked.”
The council is working on a mix of long-term and short-term solutions but currently plans to remove 60 tonnes of silt in the next two weeks.
It is working with external contactor, Veolia, which has proposed a different method. Veolia will use a tanker fitted with a suction system and dispose of the waste at a treatment plant.
Mr Shwe added: “In the long-term, we are working with the Environment Agency on a scheme to restore the River Ver to its more natural, healthier state. That should improve the water quality of the lakes as well as the surrounding environment.
“Verulamium Park is one of the city’s major visitor attractions and is especially popular during the summer months, so dealing with this problem is a priority for us.”
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