Wessex Water sewerage works in Upwey and Broadwey, Weymouth

Wessex Water will invest hundreds of thousands of pounds into the network in the Upwey and Broadwey area in the new year.

This comes after persistent issues relating to raw sewage being discharged from manhole covers in Upwey after heavy rain.

Raw sewage discharged from a manhole cover on a property in Upwey (Image: Andy Jones)

The Echo previously reported that residents in the area of Church Street and Watery Lane have concerns over the sewage which runs along the roads and onto people’s properties.

This happens when heavy rainfall is too much for water drains and the sewage network to handle.  

Responding to concerns a Wessex Water spokesperson said: “Many of the issues in Upwey are a direct result of high groundwater levels, caused by significant rainfall, which affect how quickly water drains away and risk overwhelming the sewerage network, leading to flooding and the automatic discharge of untreated wastewater via storm overflows.

“We are already proactively tackling this problem, including investing nearly £400,000 to reline sewers in the Upwey and Broadwey areas early next year, boosting the protection of the environment by sealing the system to keep groundwater out and prevent heavily diluted wastewater from escaping.

“We will shortly be writing to customers and businesses locally about this project and in the meantime, we’re continuing our wider discussions with the community, including the River Wey Society, to explore a variety of actions towards addressing flooding issues in the area.’’

Some manhole covers are designed to pop up to avoid sewage backing up into homes (Image: Andy Jones)

The sewer system in the area dates to the Victorian era and struggles to keep up with demand as development in the area has increased.

It is an issue that Cllr Kevin Brookes, who represents Upwey and Broadwey on Weymouth Town Council, has tried to resolve in the past after speaking with Wessex Water around five years ago.

He said: “This is an issue that has been around for a number of years. It is a concern when you see the residential sewage get into the rivers and streams and eventually into the River Wey.

“The system is very old. It’s down to Wessex Water to upgrade the system. We just want to urge Wessex Water to get on with the work.

“It has been a long time, five or six years, it’s an ongoing issue but hopefully next year it resolves itself.”

Flood water along Watery lane can carry the sewage into the River Wey (Image: Andy Jones)

Dorset Council has also been carrying out a survey in the area about the drainage issue and confirmed that they recently installed a new gully, and carried out gully clearance in the area.

The River Wey Society who has actively been lobbying Wessex Water has also been contacted regarding the issue.