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Sittingbourne residents left with raw sewage in garden for more than a week after floods
06:00, 26 November 2020
Disgusted homeowners have been left with raw sewage in their front garden for a week after a major drain blockage near their homes.
Drives and gardens in Canterbury Road, Sittingbourne, were left under inches of dirty water following the flood on Saturday, November 14.
More than a week on, the waste which includes human excrement, hadn’t been removed despite a promise from Southern Water workers to clean and disinfect the drive.
Ally Seehootoorah lives on the road and is worried about his and his neighbours’ health.
The carer said: “We were told once the water was gone someone would be out to clean it, but I’ve rung them everyday and nothing has happened.
“It’s disgusting, hurtful and frustrating as we all have to walk through it to get to our cars or out of our homes.
“I’m afraid of my health when I go out as I could easily inhale it, the same as my neighbours as well.
“We’re not young, I’m in my 60s and they’re in their 80s. It’s not right or fair we’re still waiting. We’re not asking for a favour, we’re just asking them to come and do their job.”
The 65-year-old admitted the sewage had now dried outside his house leaving dirty tissues stuck to the ground, which he and others have had to walk through.
He added: “It’s the last thing we need with everything going on at the moment. It’s affecting our daily lives as we don’t want to go out into it.”
A spokesman for Southern Water said: “We’re sorry that residents have suffered the unpleasantness of blocked sewers. We try to carry out cleans and follow ups as quickly as possible but recent heavy rainfall and Covid-19 restrictions have put stress on our response.”
