Anger over '˜foul smell' sewers

Angry residents on a Doncaster estate want action to end problems with foul odours which they blame on toilets emptying into combined sewers.     Â
Sharon Rodgers, Katrina Meakin and Donna Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. They are concerned about smells affected the estate and blame the sewers for the odours.Sharon Rodgers, Katrina Meakin and Donna Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. They are concerned about smells affected the estate and blame the sewers for the odours.
Sharon Rodgers, Katrina Meakin and Donna Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. They are concerned about smells affected the estate and blame the sewers for the odours.

Residents are concerned that the smells have started in the last few years on the Intake estate and believe it has been since decent homes work was carried out in the area.

The issue is at its worst during periods of hot weather and heavy rain, say locals.

Sharon Rodgers, Katrina Meakin and Donna Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. They are concerned about smells affected the estate and blame the sewers for the odours.Sharon Rodgers, Katrina Meakin and Donna Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. They are concerned about smells affected the estate and blame the sewers for the odours.
Sharon Rodgers, Katrina Meakin and Donna Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. They are concerned about smells affected the estate and blame the sewers for the odours.
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Wolsey Avenue resident Katrina Meakin said the work had seen new toilets fitted at the front of some of the homes, emptying into a combined sewer which also carried run-off surface water. She said she thought it was connected.

She said: 'I've heard that its not as big a pipe as the sewer behind the houses..

'There have been people who have ended up with waste backing up in the pipes of their own toilets. I don't think the pipes are up to it. We frequently see Yorkshire Water vans here.

'I want to see them sort out the drains.'

Katrina Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. She is concerned about smells affecting the estate and blames the sewers for the odours.Katrina Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. She is concerned about smells affecting the estate and blames the sewers for the odours.
Katrina Meakin on Wolsey Avenue, Intake, Doncaster. She is concerned about smells affecting the estate and blames the sewers for the odours.

Donna Meakin, of Huntington Road, added: 'We've had the smell for three or four years.

'It's unbearable at times.'

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Sharon Rodgers, of Wolsey Avenue, said: 'I've lived here 12 years. I first noticed there was an issue about three years ago.

'It's making people feel ill.'

After being contacted by the Free Press Yorkshire Water said they would look again at the issue.

They say they have carried out various sewer repairs and improvements following customers contacting them about issues in Wolsey Avenue over the years.

Spokesman Tom Underwood said: 'We can confirm that throughout our investigations it has been confirmed that the drains do connect with a combined sewer, designed to take rainwater and waste water, and therefore these haven't been incorrectly connected.

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'However, given ongoing concerns from some local residents we're going to review what has been done so far and assess whether any more improvements can be made to the network.  Wet wipes are a common cause of sewer blockages and we would like to kindly remind all customers to remember never to flush them down the toilet to help us protect the network too.'

St Leger Homes officials unaware of any new problems relating to sewage issues at its properties in Intake but are happy to look at any individual problems that have arisen as part of  recent severe weather, alongside Yorkshire Water and Doncaster Council.

Director of Property Services, Mick Werritt. said: 'As part of our previous improvements to properties under the Decent Homes scheme all new sewerage connections in Intake were mapped into the combined sewer '“ not into surface water drains, as has been suggested. With that being the case, we have no plans to make any further changes to plumbing arrangements for toilets in Intake at the current time.

'We are aware that there was an issue with blockages and a build up of faeces in the specific area of Wolsey Avenue, Intake, in 2017 '“ this issue was dealt with by Yorkshire Water at the time. We do not believe there were any problems outside of this isolated incident '“ and we are not aware of any recent issues here or elsewhere in Intake.'