'Poo fountains are shooting up in people's houses'

Residents have raised concerns after water from sewers was pumped into a stream to prevent flooding.

Water from sewers in Cerne Abbas, in Dorset, has been discharged by Wessex Water into a stream that feeds the nearby River Cerne.

The firm said it was removing rain and groundwater from the sewers and that the practice is allowed by the Environment Agency when groundwater levels are "exceptionally high".

But resident Robin Mills said it demonstrated that the area's drainage infrastructure is "not fit for purpose".

"I feel that this business of depositing raw sewage in watercourses has become the new norm," he said.

"It is an indicator of two things. One is the increased rainfall from climate change and the increase in the population in the village.

"But it is also an indication that our drainage infrastructure is not fit for purpose."

Helen Brown, a parish councillor and flood warden, said drainage issues had become a regular occurrence.

She said: "What happens is we get these poo fountains shooting up in the street and in people's houses. It's becoming an annual event.

"People need to take notice of this because we've got more housing coming along and Dorset Council has made this a development area."

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: "We've been removing rainwater and groundwater from sewers in Cerne Abbas to protect properties from flooding, as allowed by the Environment Agency when prolonged rainfall leads to exceptionally high groundwater levels.

"Temporary pumps remove water from sewers and discharge it into nearby watercourses, with regular sampling carried out to confirm it is primarily groundwater overwhelming the sewerage system and ensuring there is no environmental impact.

"Doing this also means customers' toilet use isn't restricted."

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