Fat traps, relining sewers, manholes and misconnections

Over the last weeks, as Secretary of the Ruscombe Brook Action Group, I've had various correspondence with Severn Trent water over the sewage system in this area. Things are still moving ahead in a very positive way - there seem to be a huge number of issues we are looking at at the moment - heres' a sample of them to update you:

1. Fat trap distribution

We have started distributing these locally and hopefully the local press will also cover the story - see my blog (18th December) below about fighting the fat. Photo of me with 150 plus fat traps.

2. Leaflet

We have agreement now to produce 1,000 joint leaflets with Severn Trent - have been trying to agree text - nearly there - then hopefully we can deliver to the local area.

3. Manholes, outflows, relining and other works

We now have plans of manhole covers and outflows - Severn Trent also now have a plan to do some spot relining of the sewers - they are looking at the moment at budgets and how soon the work can start. RBAG are asking for more info about where this is planned. We have also raised concerns about the bolted manhole covers - that is not a solution to the problem. The shattering of the concrete/brick base around a manhole would seem to confirm our view! To seal it again would not seem useful without other actions. We want to be reassured that the relining will also be designed to tackle that problem.

4. Misconnections

The photo shows what happens when people have misconnected washing machines to pipes that run straight into the stream rather than the sewer. Severn Trent have been checking one area - visiting every house - they are down to the last 9 to check.

5. Developing a partnership

As noted before we now have a brief for undertaking the work to create a plan for the brook. We also have an offer of £2,500 plus to create this plan - it will look at the priorities and where best to spend money to tackle the problems along the whole length - clearly part of the brief will be to work with stakeholders like landowners. I am in the process of setting a meeting up at Ebley Mill with Officers of the Council, other councillors and more for the end of January. We hope to establish some form of partnership so that all parties can have a say. Clearly when the research has been undertaken and projects identified, prioritised and costed then we can look at funding issues with all the parties and more.

6. Sewage on your lawn

I have had a fair bit of contact with a householder in the area who has seen sewage repeatedly overflow onto his front lawn - over 14 occasions - Severn Trent have more recently tried to regularly jet the sewers but contractors have not been good at coming on time and clearly this is not a solution. There was another major incident a couple of weeks ago and Severn Trent and others came out for a site visit. The proposal is to put a non-return valve on the pipe but no-one is clear what the effects of this might be - will it lead to pipes shattering underground due to massive pressure, or build up in someone elses property, or further blockages in this householders home?? I will be writing a letter to express my concern about this - it seems because the sewage only floods around the house and front and back doors that it is not a priority for capital expenditure to sort the problem. We'll see.