Flooding causes sewage water to spread
WEST London residents were left shocked after “disgusting black” sewage water spread into homes.
Mill Plat Avenue and Kendall Road, in Isleworth, were flooded as the sewage water poured from the banks of the nearby Duke of Northumberland’s river on Friday January 29 at about noon.
Residents were left desperately using towels to try to stop the stinking water from entering their homes, before emergency services arrived to distribute sandbags and begin pumping water out.
Estate manager Topher Martyn was first to the scene. He said: “The water was pouring through. It was black, oily and scummy.”
The manager has been working in the neighbouring park for 23 years.
Heavy rain and increased discharge caused the Duke of Northumberland’s River to spill its banks, flooding adjacent gardens, houses and streets.
Mill Plat Avenue resident Anna King came home to find her house ankle deep in sewage.
Her husband had been forced to explain to his work colleagues that he had to go and use a towel to try to stop sewage water from entering their home.
However, sewage water had flooded into the family kitchen.
Another witness described how the stench of the water was so bad she had resorted to putting scented candles into rooms.
A third witness added: “I am extremely concerned about my daughter and grandchildren in Mill
Plat Avenue whose kitchen was flooded and now stinks of sewage.”
Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury said: “It would be better if Thames Water worked to extend the storm water holding capacity at Mogden, so our rivers could be free of sewage.”
Residents have praised the quick actions of Mr Martyn, who managed to open the sluice gates of the nearby river and prevented the situation worsening.
Ms King added: “Without Topher Martyn, the street would have been in a much worse state. Every house in that street would have been knee deep.”
A Guardian investigation found that Mogden Sewage Treatment Works, owned by Thames Water, discharged more than 250 hours’ worth of sewage into the Thames in 2019.
In a statement about what happened on Friday, Thames Water explained it had discharged wastewater from Mogden Sewage Treatment Works into the River Crane as a result of wet weather conditions.
It said: “Due to the recent snow and heavy rainfall, the Duke of Northumberland’s River was already very high and today’s rain has added to that, unfortunately leading to flooding. However, this weather has also meant our network is full, so to prevent our sewers backing up into people’s homes, some waste water has been discharged from Mogden into the River Crane.
“We understand this is not pleasant, but it is necessary to avoid further problems for residents.”