Anglian Water took 24 days to fully clear sewage after floods at West Winch residential area

It took 24 days for waste which had gushed out of a damaged sewer to be completely cleared up – much to the frustration of nearby villagers.

From the time residents at East View Park in West Winch reported the issue to Anglian Water until the flooding was dealt with entirely, nearly a month had passed.

People living at the over-55s residential area first got in touch with the water company on December 22, watching from their windows as water flowed from a manhole cover and into some of their homes.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Lynn News that there were “a number of vulnerable and disabled residents who have been very concerned and frightened by what is happening”.

Anglian Water told the Lynn News that it sent tankers to take wastewater away so people could continue to use their toilets, washing machines and other facilities as normal.

Repairs were finally completed on the damaged sewer on January 9, and a team was sent out on Monday, January 15 to complete the clean-up.

The same anonymous resident remains frustrated by how long the process took.

“The actual clean up of the park only took place on Monday, January 15, when the roadways were actually disinfected – disgusting to think that there was used toilet paper laying on the roads for so long,” he said.

An email sent to the resident by Peter Simpson, the chief executive of Anglian Water, in which he apologised for the disruption, has been seen by the Lynn News.

Mr Simpson said: “To enable a repair to the collapsed sewer, the team had to track the machine through the waterlogged land and through the brambles to get in. However, once finished they scraped this over so as to not leave any track lines in the land.

“Once the land has dried out in better conditions, and the spring arrives, this will be back to an overgrown area as before.”

Photographs show this land, which now appears to consist largely of muddy patches.

Because it took the water company two days to deploy the tankers in the first place, residents believed this allowed gallons of sewage to disperse into the surface water drainage.

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