Crap TownsBritain's towns, rated by the people stuck in them

Crap Towns / Barnet / Pollution incidents

How often does Barnet get polluted?

23 serious pollution incidents have been recorded in Barnet or within 1 km of it since 2016, the joint 25th most of the 948 English towns that have had one. The most recent came in May 2026 and put grey water in the water. Crude sewage turned up in 10 of them.

The incidents
WhenWhatWhereImpact
May 2026Grey waterIn the waterSignificant
April 2025Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
November 2024Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
July 2024Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
May 2024Storm sewageIn the waterSignificant
March 2024Soil and clayIn the waterSignificant
February 2023Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
February 2023Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
June 2021Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
May 2021Natural organic material and inert material or wasteOn the landSignificant
March 2021Firefighting run-offIn the waterSignificant
September 2020Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
July 2020Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
November 2019Building rubbleOn the landSignificant
August 2019Household wasteOn the landSignificant
January 2019Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
July 2018Crude sewageIn the waterSignificant
January 2018Firefighting run-off, organic chemical or product and paintIn the water and on the landSignificant
October 2017Natural organic materialIn the waterSignificant
April 2017General biodegradable material or wasteIn the waterSignificant
September 2016OdourIn the airSignificant
September 2016MicrobiologicalIn the waterSignificant
August 2016Suspended solidsIn the waterSignificant
Nearby towns
TownDistanceSerious incidents since 2016
Enfield9.3 km39
Haringey7.7 km27
Barnet–23
Brent7.5 km22
Harrow9.3 km22
Bushey11.1 km4
Camden8.6 km4
Potters Bar9.3 km4
Borehamwood6.6 km3
Radlett10.7 km1