Play area sewage leak ‘not a priority’ (From Craven Herald)

Play area sewage leak ‘not a priority’

8:30am Monday 30th July 2012 in News

A sewer which has been spewing raw sewage into two gardens – one where children play – is not a priority to be fixed, a resident claims to have been told.

It means filth pours from the manhole cover in Pauline Barber’s garden in Badger Gate, Threshfield, filling her wildlife pond and running down into the river Wharfe.

And in her neighbour’s garden a similar cover is also leaking and contaminating the garden where children play.

Miss Barber has complained to Yorkshire Water but has been told it does not have the funds to repair the damaged sewer and the work is not a priority. The recent overflow was the third in the last three months, she says.

“I’m at my wits end as the only thing Yorkshire Water does is send round contractors to clear the blockage. My whole life is blighted by this problem.

“I can’t believe a private company can’t afford to remedy it and I consider I’ve been patient enough putting up with this since 2006.”

Yorkshire Water was due to film the sewer last week and save the film to DVD before presenting a case for capital works to replace the sewer.

“Apparently there is no evidence that the sewage is reaching the river,” said Miss Barber.

“It would appear that filling my garden with sewage for the last six years is not considered pollution.”

A spokesman for Yorkshire Water said: “We feel very sorry for anyone who has been flooded and we're doing what we can to help this customer.

“We are still investigating to try to identify the issue.

“In the meantime we continue to work closely with Miss Barber and all the other agencies involved, to do what we can to help and try and resolve the issue.”