Residents in Sherfield on Loddon fume after drainage issues

A number of residents living on Northfield Road have experienced problems with foul drainage, with the wastewater not draining away to the local sewage works, located between Sherfield on Loddon and Bramley.

Tom and Louise Penn, 36 and 32, have been living in Northfield Road for six years and have had issues with drainage for almost a year, but said it was 'the worst it had been' within the past week. 

On Tuesday, October 31, sewage began coming out of a number of manhole covers on their property, which subsequently pooled over the driveway, towards the garage, down the sides of the house and into the garden.

Tom and Louise Penn (Image: Mark Paine)

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Louise said that she and Tom raised the issue with Thames Water, battling for sandbags to be brought to their property, to prevent sewage from seeping into both the garage and the back of the house.

Thames Water investigated the issue, but by the time it had reviewed the issue, Storm Ciaran had hit, with the company citing exceptional weather as a reason for the drainage issues.

Louise has since been forced to temporarily move from the property to her parent's house while the drainage issues persist. Tom has been staying with Louise bringing him paper cups, plates and cutlery to allow him to carry on while working.

The issues with the foul water have remained, with residents along the road asked to be conservative with water usage as a result.

Thames Water lorries have regularly been pumping out and taking away the sewage.

The incident is not just isolated at Tom and Louise's property, with a number of their neighbours also experiencing issues and sewage running across driveways and gardens.

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One family down the road were told by Thames Water to leave the property, as they had a toddler and a newborn and were told it would 'not be safe' for them to stay at the property.

Louise is pregnant and due in February 2024, and added she was unsure if they would be able to stay in the property as there was no guarantee it would be hygienic and clean for a newborn baby.

She said: "Since we have been here, this is the third time something like this has happened, albeit not as bad as this, but the issue has never been resolved. It is so frustrating raising these issues with Thames Water, and then you get a notification to say the issue has been resolved, meanwhile, this dirty water is still coming up and out of the drains.

"There's a bigger problem that Thames Water is not admitting, and they need to buck up their ideas and work out how they are going to rectify this issue going forward. There are more houses being built around this area, which means more wastewater, and the network underground should be able to collect this and take it away from residents.

"We moved here because it's a nice area and bar this issue, it's lovely here. But the fact we have to keep fighting for our property to be clean and rid of all this wastewater is ridiculous. Thames Water saying the issue is resolved when it's not is simply not good enough."

Christine West, who is next door to Tom and Louise, said: "We reported the issue to Thames Water as the foul water pooled across our back garden, but we haven't had it as bad as some of the other properties in the area, so we should be thankful really. 

"It is very frustrating as we are not able to wash up and use the water in the house as we would normally, but if we do then our neighbours suffer. It's not fair and the water company should be held to account."

Meryll Paterson, who is another resident in Northfield Road, said: "The excuse from Thames Water is because of the storm, but that's not the case. We've been here over 20 years, and it's an issue that has existed long before now. Despite that, we as residents get no information about what the problem is or what's going on. There is zero communication."

The Gazette has contacted Thames Water for comment but has yet to receive a reply.