Anglian Water has promised to investigate and fix ‘misconnections’ in the sewage system in the new year
Everything you need to know as locals report ‘sewage in the street’
- A local councillor said there had been “neat sewage overflowing into the street” in March after heavy rain. The issue was raised to Anglian Water representatives at a Huntingdonshire District Council meeting.
- Anglian Water confirmed the sewer network is overloaded and prone to spills in the area. They attribute the problem mainly to misconnections, where surface water or properties are wrongly plumbed into the sewage system.
- The company promised to investigate and fix the misconnections in Barker’s Lane, March, starting next year. This local repair is part of a broader strategy to decrease overall pollution incidents across the district.
- The overflows are rooted in old combined Victorian sewer systems that mix sewage and rainwater. Heavy rainfall quickly overwhelms these networks, forcing the release of excess volume through storm overflows.
- Data showed 566 recorded spills in 2024 across Fenland, totalling over 6,000 hours of discharge. This figure highlights the system’s vulnerability, as the number of spills is significantly impacted by heavy rainfall.
- Anglian Water estimated that 90 to 95 per cent of the overflow volume is rainwater, making the sewage content highly diluted. However, the presence of any contaminated water raises environmental and health concerns.
- Aside from infrastructure, the company is targeting blockages, which it says cause 80 per cent of sewer floodings. This data underscores the critical role of public behaviour in keeping the sewage system running properly.
- Anglian Water promotes a ‘just bin it’ campaign, urging people not to flush wet wipes, even those labelled “flushable.” The company has surrendered 10% of its storm overflow permits in the last five years, aiming to reduce dependence on them.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE: ‘Sewage overflowing into street’ as water company pushed for answers
