Southern Water faces grilling as frustrated Fareham councillors want unacceptable sewerage problems solved
Councillors fed up with the state of the sewerage network are set to quiz Southern Water in a bid to drive up standards at the water company.
Members of Fareham Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny meeting agreed to ask representatives to attend a future meeting following the company holding a public drop-in at Wallington Village Hall over the summer.
Councillor Alison West (Lib Dem, Wallington and Downend) said residents in Wallington suffer with an inadequate sewerage system that requires a tanker to visit weekly to remove sewage from a resident’s garden.
She said: “This is clearly an unpleasant and unacceptable situation.
“The tanker has occasionally spilled waste and it blocks the road during each visit, disrupting daily life for many households.
“The affected resident has also been unable to use part of her garden for more than ten years now.
“There is also widespread concern about sewage overflows into the River Wallington, near the village centre and just upstream of Fareham Creek, impacting both wildlife and residents across a wide area.”
She said the village has also faced many years of flooding, caused by blocked or collapsed drains.
Cllr West gained support from fellow councillors to pass the motion and invite Southern Water to a future meeting.
At the council’s overview and scrutiny meeting on October 29, Cllr West said: “By working collaboratively with Southern Water, we can better support our residents and strengthen accountability.
“It will help facilitate Southern Water in delivering the infrastructure improvements that are so urgently needed across the wider borough.”
Cllr David Hamilton (Lib Dem, Wallington and Downend) said: “If we take a different tack and get engagement right, we can get some wins for Fareham.”
The council will now write to Southern Water inviting them to an overview and scrutiny council meeting set for a future date.