Residents' demandÂ actionÂ over sewage spill which flowed near to homes

Dave Parham - Spokesperson for Save Our Island - wants answers about the sewage spill

The Save OurÂ Island groupÂ has formally written to the council to raise serious concerns over both the incident andÂ subsequent response.

Residents' anger as '˜worst ever' sewage flows into drainage ditch aroundÂ homes

The letter stated: '˜Southern Water must meet with us toÂ explain thisÂ catastrophic failure and advise the actions being taken to decontaminate the land and alsoÂ of the engineering solution to prevent exposing our residents to this dangerous health risk ever again.'

SpokesmanÂ DaveÂ Parham, who also sits on the residents' infrastructure advisory committee, attended a meeting in October 2017 in which Southern Water assured residents that major upgrades had been made to the Stoke wastewater pumping station and that the sewage network could handle any proposed housing growth.

Mr Parham said: '˜Clearly the engineering solution implemented is not fit for purpose and has threatenedÂ the health of our island's residents.' The group also feel the council needs to accept itsÂ share of the blame.

'˜Ultimately it is the council's responsibility. They are culpable in accepting what Southern Water told them,' added Mr Parham.

Mr ParhamÂ claims the council are allowing more than 100 houses to be built every year which is putting unsustainable pressure on the current wastewater infra-structure.Â Â

Sewage Effluent in drainage ditch surrounding Stoke village

In response to the incident Southern Water said: '˜The Portsmouth area has had more investment in its sewage system than anywhere else in our region. The issue here is not to do with capacity, it was a spill as a result of a blockage.'Â

Mr Parham, however, said the systemÂ isÂ not for for purpose and believesÂ duel pumping stations are required rather than the current one.

The group are also concerned about the environmental implications.

'˜There is no evidence of the dischargeÂ having been monitored. I would askÂ Langstone Harbour Board to investigate this unauthorised discharge and publish their findings,' stressed Mr Parham. A Southern Water spokesperson said: '˜InvestigationsÂ with the Environment Agency are underway to determine the exact impact.'Â