Thames Water sewage leak November 2022

An update on the sewage leak and the impact on Priory Vale

I have met with Thames Water on site this morning so I can continue to provide updates on the situation with the burst sewage main, and management operation.

🚛 The teams are working to control the flow by utilising 20+ tankers at the pumping station by The Tawny Owl. In a 24 hour period they will pump enough sewage water from North Swindon to fill over 10 Olympic size swimming pools.

💦 As the ground outside the pumping station is so saturated with water the trucks are at risk of getting stuck so a road closure is in place between the Tawny Owl to further along Queen Elizabeth Drive. Please do not drive through the closure.

👷‍♂️ Teams are onsite near Shaw Country Park and once the sewage flow is 100% managed at the pumping station the repair to the main will be completed. It is complicated by the proximity to the railway line.

🏞️ The Lydiard Brook and River Ray are being monitored by Thames Water and The Environment Agency.

⚙️ Aeration devices and containment are in place to help mitigate pollution.

⚠️ The road and path near the pumping station are quite slippery so please be careful if you are walking in the area.

🏫 You can access The Tawny Owl from Ashdown Way end of Queen Elizabeth Drive and they remain open for business.

🚶‍♂️🚲 The footpath/cycle route (45) from Purton Road is closed as Thames Water are working along a stretch of it.

The key questions are still a priority of mine:

❓Once the repair is completed what additional steps will Thames Water take to clean up the River, protect and restore wildlife?

❓When will the report on root cause, lessons learnt and future plans be available from the August incident on Thamesdown Drive in order to support plans on next steps for Thames Water?

❓When can we hold a public meeting, drop in sessions, and or Q&A to talk more and update residents more on how the Pumping station works, the impact on the surrounding system and what steps are being taken to improve the system to prevent future bursts.

❓Will Thames Water fund and join a community project in Priory Vale to show their commitment to the eco-system, around Mouldon Hill, River Ray and surrounding. An example could be re-wilding the river, a tree planting project etc.