Shocking footage of sewage and water bubbling above ground that sparked protest

James Aldridge
·2-min read
Villagers in Lambourn, West Berkshire put up a mocking sign after the wastewater spilled above ground level. Credit: SWNS
Villagers in Lambourn, West Berkshire put up a mocking sign after the wastewater spilled above ground level. Credit: SWNS

Shocking footage that shows sewage seeping into waterways and water coming up from the earth that sparked a protest in Berkshire has been revealed.

Campaigners have released videos that they argue demonstrate the failings of Thames Water, which is responsible for water treatment in Berkshire.

Water can be seen bubbling up from the pavement and sewage flowing into streams and waterways from the footage shot in the villages of Lambourn and Compton.

Villagers in Lambourn witnessed wastewater coming up from the road from unmonitored manholes and going directly into the River Kennet.

Wastewater is what you flush down the toilet and is deposited when you have a wash.

This prompted a plucky neighbour to put up a ‘Lambourn Sh*t Show’ sign near a manhole cover where wastewater had bubbled over the road surface.

Reading Chronicle: Villagers in Lambourn, West Berkshire put up a mocking sign after the wastewater spilled above ground level. Credit: SWNS
Reading Chronicle: Villagers in Lambourn, West Berkshire put up a mocking sign after the wastewater spilled above ground level. Credit: SWNS

Villagers in Lambourn, West Berkshire put up a mocking sign after the wastewater spilled above ground level. Credit: SWNS

In a neighbouring village, ‘drive slowly’ signs had to be put up outside Compton CofE Primary School to prevent cars from splashing families with raw sewage.

The videos were taken by Peter Devery from the Angling Trust and Anna Forbes, senior project officer for Action for the River Kennet.

This footage and other alarming incidents prompted a rally urging Thames Water to act held at Victoria Park in Newbury on Sunday, April 14.

Reading Chronicle: An activist holds an emoji poo cuddly toy at the protest against raw sewage pollution of rivers in Newbury on Sunday, April 14. Credit: John Sutton, Clearwater Photography
Reading Chronicle: An activist holds an emoji poo cuddly toy at the protest against raw sewage pollution of rivers in Newbury on Sunday, April 14. Credit: John Sutton, Clearwater Photography

An activist holds an emoji poo cuddly toy at the protest against raw sewage pollution of rivers in Newbury on Sunday, April 14. Credit: John Sutton, Clearwater Photography

Reacting to the reported incidents, a Thames Water spokesperson stated they were caused by sewer overload in the area of the River Lambourn, a tributary of the River Kennet.

The spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that customers have been affected as our sewers have become overloaded in the River Lambourn area.

“The excessively heavy rain that the region has experienced means the groundwater and river levels remain very high in this area and the ground is saturated.

“A significant amount of this water is entering the local sewer system and causing flooding from manholes.

“We are working hard to keep our sewers flowing and to prevent further flooding.

READ MORE: Thames Water responds after protest sparked by recent sewage flood incidents

“We’re carrying out daily clean-ups where the manholes have been overflowing in Lambourn and we’re using tankers at our sewage pumping station in Upper Lambourn 24 hours a day to help manage excess flows in the sewers.

“We also have a filter unit in place near Lambourn fire station, which uses a pump to take the excess water out of our foul sewer, so it can be screened and then safely returned to the river.

“We’re continuing to work closely with the Lambourn Valley Flood Forum and we continue to investigate where groundwater and surface water is getting into the sewer system. We’ve previously installed 10.1km of leak-tight liners in our sewers, and have sealed 122 manholes in the local sewer network.”

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