"Toxic Town" water needs further testing, says council
Corby's historical water scandal spawned a 2025 drama starring Jodie Whittaker
The water quality in Corby became a historical scandal which spawned a Netflix drama - and the town council says it still needs more testing.
The organisation Earthwatch Europe carried out water sampling in the town in November, testing 59 sites.
Earthwatch Europe say they found metals at levels that could pose a risk to aquatic life, but Corby Town Council says Earthwatch indicated that a further round of sampling would be a good way to shore up the findings.
The Leader of Corby Town Council, Cllr Simon Rielly, has written to North Northamptonshire Council and the Environment Agency, requesting clarification on what the findings mean, and support for a second round of sampling.
Cllr William Colquhoun, Chair of the council's Environment Committee, said: “These are matters we take very seriously.
"We will support and, where necessary, hold to account those with statutory responsibility for environmental matters in our town.”
In the 1980s and 1990s, transportation of industrial waste through the area was linked to birth defects, culminating in one of the first ever legal cases to draw a link between the two.