Residents want Thames Water to compensate them after sewage flowed into their gardens three times over the last month.
Families in Borehamwood awoke last week to find their gardens were covered with sewer detritus including human excrement, toilet paper and tampons. It was the second time the sewer had flooded in the same week. They are now calling for Thames Water to use CCTV drainage survey equipment to find out what is causing the problem.
The problem first occurred over Christmas when resident Yvette DeRoy alerted them to the issue. She said in the Borehamwood and Elstree Times:
“There was a mountain of human excrement pumping from the drains and it made me feel sick. What if that gets into our tap water?
“I am appalled by this situation because it is so obviously a health hazard. I am expecting it to happen again but Thames Water have no empathy – we are living a ticking time bomb.
“I looked over at my neighbours garden and they were knee deep in a fountain of sludge and filth, I was ankle deep.
“It was sickening – it was basically a pond of toilet filth gushing from our front to back gardens.
After the first problem had been alleviated residents were told the problem was caused by rags which had blocked the drain, but they have yet to receive clarification about the further issues.
Another resident Mr Tony Macken commented:
“I am aggravated because we have been told to claim on our own house insurance for the damages.
“Firemen have been fantastic in pumping the water away but that is not their job – the water board should be more competent, this is not on.
“There are still bits of sewage in the front and back garden. We keep expecting to wake up to find poo and other toilet muck sprouting from the drains again, it has become the norm.”
A response is awaited from Thames Water.