Popular park flooded by 'human waste' and loo roll for second time in six months
A popular park has been flooded with what appears to be human waste and toilet roll.
Locals have expressed disgust and concerns for the health of children following the effluent dump at Wheatfields Park in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Sewage and loo roll was left all over the place following a period of heavy rain. Several months ago Storm Babet produced a similar effect.
Local Jonathan Pallant took a video of the mess and expressed worry about kids who walk to school through the park, Cambridge Live reported. During the previous sewage incident he said: "You can actually see it bubbling up through the manholes under pressure. The whole system is just pressurised and that's where it comes out. And then it runs across the field along the footpath and into a storm drain on a nearby street."
Nicky Carter added: "The drains on the playing field next to Wheatfields School are blocked and flooded leaving human waste and toilet paper on the field and has also overflowed onto the pathway."
Locals have expressed concern about kids walking through the park (Nicky Carter)"It's been happening for years with it overflowing at any heavy rain. However, it's only been the last year it's flowing everywhere too. So it's like the problem or pipe blockage is getting worse and worse." Nicky said that Anglian Water came by on Saturday morning to inspect the mess. "They have been out and have put a cordon around it but the toilet paper and waste is just left sitting there," she added.
Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts
Sewage dumps have become an increasingly high profile issue in the UK in recent years, as the country's largely Victorian sewer system struggles to cope with higher usage levels and more extreme weather events. Campaign Group Surfers Against Sewage have highlighted the problem of waste dumps into the sea by keeping tabs on where large dumps take place and how serious they are.
"The sheer volume of pollution entering our water means the UK consistently ranks as one of the worst European countries for coastal water quality. Meanwhile, only 14% of our rivers warrant ‘good’ ecological status," the organisation says on its website.
"Despite years of investment, sewage and agricultural pollution still plague rivers and the ocean. Huge volumes of contaminated effluent and run-off mean the UK is ranked last in Europe for bathing water quality. A damning report by a parliamentary committee labelled England’s rivers as a dangerous ‘chemical cocktail’ of sewage, agricultural waste, and plastic."
The Mirror recently visited one of six new parks which are being built along the River Thames in London above key access points to the huge super sewer which is due to open next year. When up and running, the enormous pipe running beneath the river will take sewage otherwise destined for the Thames to treatment plants in the east of the city.
Anglian Water has been contacted for comment.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
