A DRAIN gushing ‘sewage’ onto a public road ‘for months’ sparked an online debate over whose responsibility it was to clean it up.
Conservative Cllr Warren Whyte called out on Twitter water company Anglian Water demanding it fix a “combined sewer” spewing filth at the junction of Well Street and Bridge Street in Buckingham.
“This is not good @AnglianWater – you really do need to expedite the repair to this combined sewer in Buckingham. It’s being going on for months,” he wrote.
It was retweeted by council leader Martin Tett.
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Cllr Whyte, who is cabinet member for planning and enforcement, said some local residents had also complained about the ongoing issue and that Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) had been chasing Anglian Water for some time.
However, the water company hit back saying it was not responsible for the drain in question and that the Highways Authority (TfB) should look into it instead.
“Ah, you do when they are part of a combined sewer,” fired back Cllr Whyte. “No storm drain discharges like this normally.”
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But Anglian Water was defiant, offering to send out a specialist all the same to hammer the point home.
“I completely understand your concern and am happy to send a technician out to confirm that it is a Highways drain and therefore their responsibility,” it wrote.
It added: “We’ll be out ASAP.”
Cllr Whyte was backed up by Labour and opposition councillor Robin Stuchbury, who tweeted: “Completely agree. Buckingham will appreciate seeing this repaired. Isn’t a great look – sewage on the highway.”
Cabinet member for town centre regeneration Steve Bowles added: “There are similar situations with water leaks in Aston Clinton @thameswater.”
Speaking to the Free Press, Cllr Whyte added: “I’ve had a couple of complaints about this and I’ve been chasing up with TfB and Anglian Water for a few months now as it’s an intermittent problem, but residents shouldn’t have to put up with leaking drains with questionable discharges.”
A spokesperson for TfB said: “Following an investigation by Anglian Water and TfB, it has been identified that the drain in question has been damaged.
“We have included this within our drainage repair programme, and as a temporary measure, we will empty the adjacent chamber to relieve the issue until the permanent repair has been completed.”
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