Concern public not alerted to sewage leak

A MARYHILL resident says he lived with raw sewage leaking on to the footpath in front of his house for two weeks this winter, and he is concerned about the Dunedin City Council’s response.

Dunedinbased wildlife biologist Graham Parker said the council identified there was sewage covering the public walkway in front of his house.

In such a case, he believed, the council should close walkways, or inform the public they could be walking through sewage.

Mr Parker said when he raised his concerns with the council he was treated dismissively, as though he was being an alarmist.

He was informed there was no need to close the 18m stretch of footpath in front of his house this winter because there were no ‘‘chunky bits’’ in the sewage leaking on to his footpath, he said.

And yet people or pets could have been exposed to pathogens in the liquid running across the public pathway.

‘‘During that time, there was raw sewage liquid all over that area,’’ Mr Parker said.

‘‘If it’s chunky bits or a liquid, exactly the same pathogens are involved.

‘‘You’re talking about microscopic bacteria here, you know?’’

Mr Parker wanted an explanation for why the council would not close public walkways that possibly posed public health risks, or in some way inform the public there was a risk, he said.

Council building solutions manager Paul Henderson said the council was notified of seepage from a private pipe on private property, leaking on to a public footpath in Maryhill Tce on August 6.

A council officer was on site within 24 hours to undertake dye testing and the property owner organised to have a possible blocked drain cleared, Mr Henderson said.

The drain clearer, a private contractor, noted there was a small leak in the drain, Mr Henderson said.

However, the contractor took longer than anticipated to complete the repair, for reasons unrelated to the council, and the work was not finished until August 27.

Mr Henderson said the council did have the power to close a footpath or issue an unsanitary notice, preventing residents from using their facilities until repairs are completed.

‘‘On this occasion, the [council officer] was satisfied the liquid running across the footpath was low risk and such steps were not necessary,’’ he said.

‘‘While this was a private repair, the [council] does try to keep people informed if requested.

‘‘In this case, it is accepted communication could have been better, as the compliance officer was on leave for two weeks after visiting the site,’’ Mr Henderson said.