A worried resident from Bungay has issued a warning statement to people who use the river at Bungay as he believes raw sewage is being pumped into it on a regular basis. Mr Olly Barnes is concerned that the storm drain at the end of his garden should only release effluent into the River Waveney at times of torrential rainfall. However, he believes it also releases effluent at times of moderate rainfall.
He stated:
“Everything you imagine that goes down the loo comes out of there as it went down. People swim in the river further downstream. Lots of people don’t know that Anglian Water are allowed to do this.”
The Barnes family have decided not to let their children play around the river area and he frequently removes waste products, such as used sanitary wear and contraception, which he burns.
Mr Barnes has reported the matter to Anglian water a number of times, stating the problem has worsened since new housing developments have taken place in the area.
A spokesperson from Anglian water commented:
“The Environment Agency consents this overflow, which is necessary to protect people’s homes and gardens from flooding in times of heavy rainfall just like this. An increase in local housing will have had a negligible effect on this overflow, as it is there to react only to rainfall when it threatens to flood homes and property.”
Anglian water have spent £3million pounds this year on improvements to the regions sewerage systems, but it seems further consultation needs to be done here to investigate the problem further.