Murray Bridge resident Adrian Dibben said he was becoming increasingly concerned about the deepening pools on the former dairy swamps at Long Flat and the associated disease and environmental risks.

“It’s not an isolated case, it’s happening at Jervois and at the Swanport Bridge too,” Mr Dibben said.

Mr Dibben said he had contacted the Environmental Protection Authority shortly after the death of 27-year-old Mannum man Tyrone Kelsh from Murray Valley Encephalitis in an attempt to find out who was responsible for managing the ever-growing pools of water on the swamps.

Mr Kelsh succumbed to the mosquito-borne disease on May 2.

“There was only about half of the amount of water then than there is at the moment ... very shortly that water will be so salty and black that it won’t be able to go back in the river,” he said.

Mr Dibben said he operated a pump for a family member but it had become inaccessible after seepage and stormwater run-off onto the Long Flat swamps had rendered the pumping station inaccessible.

He was adamant that landholders should not foot the bill for any work on the flats, saying they could not be held responsible for naturally occurring seepage or stormwater runoff.

The Standard said it contacted the South Australian Environmental Protection Authority to clarify which government departments, if any, were responsible for the issue and what risks it posed, however, the authority was not able to respond before the article went to press.