7:40am Friday 6th November 2009
By Steve Dancey
PRESSURE from parish councils and negative comments from salad giant Vitacress has persuaded Southern Water to rethink its plans to pump highly diluted sewage into the Bourne Rivulet near St Mary Bourne.
The company had put forward the idea of pumping the material via a new pipeline during wet conditions when the water table is high to help reduce the risk of foul water flooding to some vulnerable homes in St Mary Bourne.
While not everyone has been convinced by the company’s view, the firm says that it has been entirely frank with local people.
Now it says that it will be reviewing the overall scheme and contacting the county and borough councils to see how legislation can be used to get repairs undertaken to leaky private sewer pipes and junctions.
Millions have been spent relining lengths of mains sewerage in the area but calls for a further half-mile stretch of main sewerage piping south of the village will not be answered.
“This has been surveyed and does not show any significant issues,” said Steven Higgins, a senior customer relations adviser in a letter to St Mary Bourne Parish Council.
“We conclude therefore that further work on this section of pipe would not provide material benefit.”
Parish councillor Michael Widén, who has been following this issue for some time, said that the parish council had the support of many local residents in rebutting Southern Water’s proposals, outlined at the public exhibition on 7 October, and in formally rejecting the idea.
He said: “The parish council will participate in discussions to be held by the Bourne Rivulet Initiative with the agencies involved and other stakeholders present to help find a solution for the future.”
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