A BOROUGH councillor has expressed her anger over the “nonchalance” of a water company after a broken pipe led to dirty water flowing into the River Test at Whitchurch yesterday morning (Wednesday, November 17).

Cllr Lucie Follett Maitland witnessed the “discharge” by Southern Water, which took place mere metres from her home, on Church Street in Whitchurch.

She confronted the member of staff on site, and filmed the scene, which showed muddy brown water flowing towards the riverbank.

Cllr Follett Maitland also reported the incident to both Southern Water and the Environment Agency, concerned that it may be a case of sewage discharge.

However, Southern Water told the Gazette that it was in fact clean drinking water, from a burst pipe in the area.

Cllr Follett Maitland, who represents Whitchurch, Overton and Laverstoke on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said: “The incident took place just a few metres from where I live, on a very popular footpath, and it was the seeming lack of care and the nonchalance that really made me angry.

“The River Test is a highly valued asset for Whitchurch and it is frustrating to see something like this on your doorstep.”

The footpath is located on Church Street, which lies in the town’s conservation area.

The concerns come after a recent furore surrounding sewage-dumping legislation, with MPs including Whitchurch’s Kit Malthouse and Basingstoke’s Maria Miller forced to defend their position after controversially voting against an amendment that would have seen a ban on such waste disposal.

Cllr Follett Maitland said that the member of staff shown in the video was unable to answer any of her questions, saying that he was “just a contractor”.

She continued: “It may have been a broken pipe, and it’s good that it’s not sewage, but it’s bringing water and run-offs from the main road into the River Test. They may have fixed that particular pipe, but there’s still a broken pipe on that lane.

“It’s really disappointing because on a local level this is a really important footpath. The river is what gives Whitchurch it’s identity and within the borough we talk so much about the climate emergency and the ecological emergency and this is a prime example of that.

“I would like [Southern Water] to address this pipe and make sure it does not happen again.”

When asked about the incident, a spokesperson for Southern Water told the Gazette: “The River Test is a vital and rare habitat and we’re grateful to all customers who report concerns.

“We are carrying out Water for Life – Hampshire, Britain’s largest ever water resources project to protect the special chalk rivers of the Test and Itchen and we will always be quick to respond to anything which might affect them.

“In this case we fixed a drinking water main in the area and some fresh water ran down the lane. No wastewater operations have made any form of release in the area.”