A Burgh Castle resident has voiced concern that sewage leaking out of a pumping station could cause damage to local wildlife.
It is not the first time Chris Dowsett has encountered problems with the Anglian Water pumping station which backs onto a corner of his property in High Road.
The 70-year-old contacted the water company twice last autumn when sewage leaked from the pump on two separate occasions.
Last week, the murky water returned and came worrying close to seeping into a nearby dyke.
“The problem is that the station is not being maintained,” said Mr Dowsett, who has lived at the property for 25 years.
Mr Dowsett described the woodland around his home as a “wildlife area”, a haven for nesting herons and Little Egrets.
In 2002, Burgh Castle was amongst one of the first recorded nesting sites for Little Egrets in Norfolk.
Anglian Water operates more than 4,300 pumping stations throughout the region, including three on Back Lane in Burgh Castle.
“Last year they sent someone out to stop the overflow and then sent a couple of young chaps to clear the overgrown compound,” said Mr Dowsett.
“The whole site is overgrown with nettles and tree branches. You can tell by looking at the building, that water has been coming out for a long time.
“I don’t know what state the pump itself is in.”
While the overflowing sewage water has not reached the nearby waterway, Mr Dowsett believes it has spread further this time than ever before.
“The water is not going into the dyke but it has gone further this time,” he said.
“I am worried about the effect it might have on the wildlife.”
Antony Innes, a spokesman for Anglian Water, said the firm carries out regular routine inspections.
“I’d like to reassure residents in Burgh Castle that we do regularly inspect and maintain our pumping stations in the area,” he said.
“Engineers visit these sites routinely to carry out a full service of the pumps and controls to ensure they work as intended.
“We always take any reports of sewage flooding or pumping station problems very seriously and have monitoring systems in place to alert us to any possible issues.
“Despite this we would always urge customers to report any concerns to us so we can investigate problems and act if necessary.”
To report concerns, call Anglian Water on 0800 771 881 or visit www.anglianwater.co.uk.
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