Significant numbers of dead trout have been located in recent weeks along a section of Farmers Creek downstream of the Lithgow Council’s water treatment plant that processes Lithgow’s drinking water.

Several Oakey Park residents have contacted the Lithgow Mercury to express concerns and one even went to the trouble of forwarding a photograph of dead fish.

Lithgow Council has launched an urgent investigation but said that until being contacted by the Mercury yesterday no one had reported the situation to either council or the EPA.

When the Mercury visited the area at the weekend two fish big enough to delight any angler could clearly be seen lying belly up on the creek bed below the footbridge between Oakey Park oval and Bragg Street.

Another resident drew the Mercury’s attention to another 11 dead fish a little further downstream behind the oval.

Long term resident Neville Delaney said there had been an increase in fish numbers in Farmers Creek in that part of town in recent years but residents could not recall a fish kill such as began to be noticed some weeks ago.

He said until the source of the problem was identified residents were concerned for the welfare of any domestic animals or neighbourhood children playing in the creek.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Bells Road resident John Diehm who said dead fish had been turning up at a number of locations along the creek.

He said this had been the situation for some weeks and was the first time that this had occurred in his experience.

Another long term Bells Road resident Bev Bradford said her neighbours had been in recent weeks scooping dead trout out of Farmers Creek near where another small creek runs down from the railway corridor and Scenic Hill.

“Everyone out here is wondering what is killing them,” Mrs Bradford said.