Totton councillor Caroline Rackham urges Southern Water to do more after Hounsdown School fields ‘contaminated’ by burst sewer in latest string of incidents

A WATER firm has been told it must do better after a catalogue of incidents including a burst sewer pipe contaminating a school playing field, which is still closed to pupils.

Cllr Caroline Rackham, chair of Totton and Eling Town Council who also sits on NFDC, has written to Southern Water demanding assurances after becoming “increasingly concerned” by the company’s struggle to deal with “basic” issues such as maintenance and the supply of fresh water.

Cllr Rackham wrote: “Last year saw a catalogue of sewage being allowed into rivers, including Bartley Water.

“A great deal of work has been done on this river to improve the biodiversity and it is heart-breaking to know that sewage has been allowed to release into the river.”

She added: “Despite enquiries, I have had no definitive answer as to what improvements have been made to ensure this will not happen again.”

Cllr Rackham said she had noted in Southern Water’s annual report for 2022-23 that it had failed to meet its own targets for incidents including pollution and water quality.

She also asked what had been done to prevent any future loss of water supply to homes.

As reported in the A&T, in November around 18,000 homes in SO40 and SO45 postcodes – which includes Marchwood, Hythe, Dibden Purlieu and Fawley – were left without water for around 72 hours.

Southern Water said Storm Ciarán’s “unprecedented impact” had impacted water quality and levels of the River Test close to its Testwood supply works, prompting supplies to be shut off.

A burst sewer in Ashurst Bridge in December saw tankers sent to remove sewage for treatment at its nearby wastewater treatment works, and pupils at Hounsdown School in Totton are currently unable to use the playing field after a burst sewage main on-site.

A letter to parents from headteacher David Veal said the pipe, which runs the full width of the school field, had caused “unstable ground and contamination”.

The affected area of the school field, which has now been enclosed with security fencing, would be out of bounds until “further notice”, he added.

Speaking to the A&T Mr Veal said Southern Water continued to be “very helpful” in addressing the issue.

He added: “We have been reassured that when the field is returned to use any contamination will have been cleared and the field will be safe to use.”

In her letter to the CEO, Cllr Rackham asked: “What assurances can you give that these regular incidents of sewage in rivers, poor maintenance of water distribution systems and other reduced services, will not continue through 2024?

“Profits being made suggest that more should be spent on the maintenance and improvement of infrastructure for both drinking water distribution and waste/sewerage processing.”

A Southern Water spokesman told the A&T the repair at Hounsdown School was “ a complex engineering job” but it was working quickly to complete the work “within the next few weeks”.

It added it would respond to Cllr Rackham’s wider concerns “in due course”.