Thames Water engineers are yet to find the root cause of a huge sewage leak in Churt that has closed a key road in the village for much of the past two weeks.
Tankers are currently taking away the village’s sewage by road 24 hours a day, seven days a week after a 67 year old riser main burst on Saturday, December 9, on the Hampshire side of Barford Lane.
It has resulted in sewage flowing down Barford Lane and Kitts Lane twice in the past fortnight, covering verges in effluent and threatening to contaminate the Barford Stream.
The problem appeared to be fixed early last week. But on Thursday (December 14) another leak was reported and sewage flowed further down the road.
Thames Water engineers have since cut off the main to stop the leak escalating and tankers have been deployed non-stop to remove the sewage from the nearby pumping station and prevent any further overflows.
A total of seven tankers are involved in this operation, lining up to take the sewage away from the pumping station at all hours.
This caused great amusement at St John’s Primary School on the corner of Barford Lane and the A287, with pupils clinging to the school gates to watch the daily procession of “poo trucks” before breaking up last Friday.
Barford Lane and Kitts Lane remained closed to traffic at the time of writing, with Thames Water contractors confirming it is taking longer than expected to find the cause of the problem.
This has meant a long detour through Grayshott for Churt villagers living on the wrong side of the road closure, and there are fears a deluge of heavy rain could overwhelm the tankers.
A picture shared online also appeared to show sewage flowing into the Barford Stream, which feeds Frensham Great Pond.
But Churt Parish Council clerk Dawn Barrow confirmed the Environment Agency has tested the water in the stream for contamination and gave it the all clear.
“The river runs into various streams and lakes and into Frensham Great Pond but thankfully the water was deemed clean,” she said.
Thames Water has been approached for a comment.
