Heavy rain brings another flood of raw sewage to Bedwyn homes

Now with statement from Thames Water – see below:

The heavy rain on Monday evening (July 30) brought another flood of raw sewage to homes on The Knapp in Great Bedwyn.

At about 9.00 pm Jean Cook realised that three man-hole covers in her garden had been lifted by the force of the floodwater and sewage was flowing through her garden and into the road.

Contractors for Thames Water were on the scene just after midnight, but by then the flooding had subsided.  The contractors were back at The Knapp by 8.00 am on Tuesday morning.

Jean Cook told Marlborough News Online: “I will not let this rest.  It’s just horrendous.  It’s been going on for so many years.  We had that flooding last October – and then Thames Water promised me it wouldn’t happen again.”

After the flooding in October 2012 Thames Water carried out work at the sewage pumping station beyond the railway and canal in Frog Lane.  And they had to run tankers emptying the sewage for several weeks.

Jean Cook moved to The Knapp six years ago.  She revealed that the morning after she moved in she woke up to find her garden flooded with sewage.  But she does not want to move:  “This is my home and I like it here.”

This type of flooding has been going on at The Knapp for more than twenty years.

Thames Water have issued the following statement to Marlborough News Online:

“Heavy downpours overwhelmed our sewers in Great Bedwyn yesterday evening and caused flooding to The Knapp. We are carrying out a programme of works including regular cleaning of the sewers.”

“Monitors are currently in place measuring water in the network and improvements have been made to our pumping station. We are very sorry for the mess and distress this has caused and will continue with our work to resolve this issue.”