A business in Pontypool, South Wales has been fined, after it opened for business even though a drain was blocked and part of the premises was flooded with raw sewage.
The business in question was fined for breach of environmental health and safety regulations and a string of other offences at Cwmbran Magistrates court. Torfaen council inspected the property on the 15th January this year and found that incorrect disposal of cooking oils had totally blocked the sewer system, which had resulted in sewage pouring into a side yard.
The environmental health officer who carried out the inspection stated:
“As I walked through the kitchen a weak smell of raw sewage mixed with cooking was apparent, as I walked down the stairs into the basement there was a distinctive odour of raw sewage and by the time I reached the food storage room the smell was sickening and it was obvious that the area had been flooded in raw sewage.”
When he returned three days later, he still found the drain blocked and the business was trading as normal.
Drain blockages can be cleared quickly and efficiently if you use the right drainage company. And if you take out a drain maintenance contract, you can be sure they won’t happen in the future.