Sewage spills on Essex street for second time in a week
Places in South Benfleet have been contaminated with sewage water for a second time in just over a week after a wastewater spilt at a recycling centre yesterday (May 1). The incident happened at Anglian Water’s Castle Point Water Recycling Centre where reports of the leak started to appear at around 4.21 am on social media. According to Councillor Andrew Sheldon and Sharon Ainsley, the Anglian Water officers were seen cleaning up the leak at Richmond Park and the Benfleet Sewage Plant.
The spill was caused due to a damaged sewer pipe at the water recycling site which Anglian Water said they are currently dealing with. The water company also stated the leak has been stopped and the sewage water has been rerouted via another pipe on site. Although the situation is being dealt with, they did not confirm when work will be completed as the repair is said to be completed because it is close to the railway and underground cables.
The latest incident comes after a sewage spill at the South Benfleet Sewage Treatment Work Plant on April 22. The spill cause chaos in the area due to a failed valve and polluted waste flooded parts of Watlington Road. An Anglian Water spokesperson said: “We are currently dealing with a damaged a sewer pipe in our Water Recycling Centre in Benfleet.
The leak has been stopped and the wastewater diverted through another pipe on site. “We take our responsibility to the environment very seriously, and our teams are working closely with the Environment Agency to ensure we minimise the any impact on the adjacent land and environment. The repair is complicated due to the close proximity to railway and the presence of underground cables, so we are working in collaboration with both Network Rail and UKPN, to carefully plan the work needed.”