Another sewage spillage angers village residents

Another sewage spillage angers village residents

19 September 2012 - by BY JOANNE FLEMING

A SEWAGE spill in Drumaness has raised concerns over the strength of the village’s sewerage system.

Residents raised the alarm after two manholes in the Old Park Road area were seen overflowing last Tuesday.

One resident, James Woodside, said the nearby grass areas were covered with sewage and toilet roll.

“Last time there was a problem it was supposed to be fixed,” said Mr. Woodside, referring to work carried out by Northern Ireland Water two years ago. “It keeps reoccurring. I have asked for an inspection of it, it is horrendous.”

Councillor Anne McAleenan said she was among those who had raised this as an issue of concern over recent years, and called for the problem to be reinvestigated. “It is awful that the people of Drumaness have to keep putting up with this,” she said.

Councillor Terry Andrews added after his inspection of the site: “I found the place covered in sewage and other related products and the smell was stifling. The risks to people’s health and what they have had to put up with is not on. I am appealing for Northern Ireland Water to put in place immediate measures to sort this out once and for all. This has been ongoing for years and I am aware that other elected representatives for the Drumaness area and residents are fighting their corner to get this sewage problem resolved.”

A spokeswoman for Northern Ireland water acknowledged that the manholes had overflowed on Old Park Road last Tuesday.

“The blockage contractor for the area attended the site and established the sewer required desilting in order to remove an excessive build-up of silt in the sewer,” she said. “The desilting work was carried out on Wednesday, September 12.

“NI Water is asking the public to be mindful of what they flush into the public sewerage system.

Our sewerage system is only designed to cope with human waste and small volumes of toilet roll. Other items such as cleaning wipes, cotton buds, nappies and sanitary products which people flush down the toilet, do not break up and usually clump together to form a ball of rags.

“Many people genuinely don’t realise the damage they are doing, not only to their own internal pipes, but also to the sewerage system they share with their neighbours. It is only when faced with blocked drains and out of sewer flooding that they realise those ‘harmless wipes’ are in fact creating chaos.