Residents in Fareham are furious as sewage floods garages and gardens
Neighbours in Dryden Close, Fareham, have said they were left with a metre high torrent of effluent surrounding their property after a man hole cover burst.
Resident Kristieanne Gibbs said: ‘The smell was unbearable and you could see faeces in the water. People are still waiting for it to be properly cleaned. People have animals and children often use the garage area to play. At the moment we can’t let children out as we are concerned about the health risks.’
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdResidents claim the sewage has contaminated many of their belongings and cost them thousands in damages.
Elizabeth Rigby said: ‘We have a £15,000 campervan in the garage which was flooded with effluent.’
Fellow resident, Steve Jenner, added: ‘I have a classic car in my garage which now looks like it may have to be written off. One of the neighbours is a carpenter and all his work tools, machines and generator, which are worth £20,000, have been damaged.’
Other items damaged included golf clubs, children’s bikes, awnings, a family tent, sofa, gym equipment and barbecues.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA Southern Water statement said: ‘Claims must be made through a customers' insurance company. It's also possible affected customers may be eligible for a Guaranteed Standards Service payment.’
Angry residents feel Southern Water have a responsibility to recompense them for their costs.
Kristieanne’s husband, Mark Gibbs, said: ‘They have simply told us to check our household insurance and said we can apply for a GSS (Guaranteed Standards of Service) payment of between £75 and £500. There is no guarantee we will get it and it is not compensation for what we have lost.’
Mr Jenner added: ‘I feel disappointed and let down. They can clearly see the devastation this has caused and all we ask is that they are honest and realistic and compensate us for the damage caused.’
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe incident took place on Friday, February 8 after heavy rainfall.
Mr Gibbs said: ‘At around 4pm I looked out of the window and saw water coming through my back gate. When I went outside there were already a couple of inches of water in the garages. Initially we thought it was just floodwater and so we were trying to clear out some of the drains. I only realised the seriousness of the situation when a neighbour, who is a groundwater engineer, said to stop as there was sewage present.’
Residents have been left concerned about the thoroughness of the clean-up operation.
Mr Jenner said: ‘They pumped out the sewage and then flushed out the area with a jet spray. The sludge has ended up getting pushed to the back of the garage area. I am really concerned about what contamination could still be present.’
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA statement from Southern Water responded: ‘We know how upsetting flooding of any kind can be, whether inside or out, and we apologise to the customers whose garages were affected by the overflowing manhole. As a result of the heavy rain, four garages were flooded with sewage. We're so sorry this situation remains unresolved and we are committed to working closely with all affected customers’
Southern Water confirmed one garage was cleaned on the day and has apologised that the three remaining garages, which were due to be disinfected on Sunday, have still to be cleaned. It has pledged to rectify this situation, with all garages being fully disinfected, and to carry out a full investigation into the cause.
The statement said: ‘We have started our investigation into the exact cause of the flooding and any work required will be arranged to ensure our sewers and assets are working correctly.’