HUMAN waste has again spewed out onto grass near a children’s playground – two years after The Guardian reported a sewage problem at the same site.
Heavy rain in Buckhurst Hill on Sunday (August 5) caused a manhole cover on the recreation ground near Rous Road to burst open, scattering sewage.
Steve Jenkinson, of nearby Boxted Close, spotted the waste while walking in the park the following morning. He had previously reported the issue in August 2010.
“It’s happened repeatedly. After last time, Thames Water came down and they said they’d stick a camera down,” said Mr Jenkinson, 56.
“They’ve had cameras down there more times than I’ve cleaned my teeth. But the problem is the piping – the volume of water can’t be taken by the right angled pipe.”
The recreation ground boasts a well-used children’s playground and is popular with families and picnickers.
“The thing that worries me is that kids walk there every day of the week,” added Mr Jenkinson.
“Kids are going to reach down and put their hands in raw sewage. They could end up in hospital.”
A Thames Water spokeswoman said a build-up of wipes and sanitary products had blocked the sewer and a worker would be on-site today (August 7).
She added: "Our customers can help us ensure everything runs smoothly by keeping items like sanitary products, cleansing wipes, cotton buds, and fat and grease from cooking out of sewers and in the bin where they belong."
For more information about Thames Water's campaign to avoid drain blockages, click here .
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