Darrell Elford, a 52-year-old resident of Lymington, Hampshire, has been battling a recurring nightmare for nearly a decade: his backyard is repeatedly flooded with raw sewage. This distressing situation has rendered his once-enjoyable garden unusable, filled with faeces, toilet paper, and other unsanitary waste. Over the past nine years, Darrell has endured approximately 20 such incidents, each one contaminating his property and robbing him of the simple pleasure of using his backyard. The ongoing ordeal has reached a boiling point, driving Darrell to withhold payment of his water bill to Southern Water, the company he holds responsible for the persistent issue. His act of protest stems from repeated attempts to contact the company, which he claims have yielded little to no effective action.
The most recent sewage backup is not an isolated incident but rather the latest in a long string of similar occurrences. Darrell vividly describes the scene: “You can see bits of waste,” lamenting the unsanitary conditions that prevent him from enjoying his garden. He also expresses concern for his new granddaughter, who will be unable to safely play in the contaminated backyard. The recurring sewage floods have not only disrupted Darrell’s life but also created a health hazard, particularly for a young child. The presence of raw sewage poses a significant risk of infection and illness, making the backyard a no-go zone for his granddaughter. This adds another layer of frustration to Darrell’s ongoing battle with Southern Water.
While Southern Water has offered some compensation totaling £900 for three recent instances, Darrell argues that this is insufficient considering the numerous times his property has been flooded with sewage. He seeks further compensation for the cumulative damage and distress caused by the recurring problem. He feels that the company is not taking his complaints seriously and that the offered compensation does not adequately address the extensive and repeated damage to his property and the disruption to his life. The ongoing dispute highlights the challenges faced by individuals when dealing with utility companies and the frustration that can arise when seeking redress for recurring problems.
Darrell recounts instances where he contacted Southern Water to report the sewage backups, only to receive inadequate responses. He describes one incident where a Southern Water employee arrived with only a head torch, lacking the necessary equipment to address the issue. Despite promises to return with the appropriate tools to clean up the mess, no further action was taken. This lack of follow-through has left Darrell feeling helpless and ignored by the company responsible for maintaining the sewage system. He expresses his frustration, stating, “I shouldn’t have to be careful about using my own back garden. I don’t know where to go – I don’t really know what to do. You can’t seem to just get help off them.”
Darrell shares his home with his two adult children and has no intention of moving. He cherishes his backyard and desires nothing more than to be able to use it without fear of sewage contamination. The ongoing issue has significantly impacted his quality of life, turning a once-enjoyable space into a source of stress and frustration. He hopes that his protest and continued efforts to raise awareness about the problem will finally prompt Southern Water to take decisive action and provide a lasting solution.
In response to Darrell’s complaints, Southern Water’s Head of Customer Service, Ashley Marshman, acknowledged the impact of the flooding incidents and expressed apologies for the distress caused. The company attributed the recurring sewage backups to several factors, including overloaded sewers during heavy rainfall, illegally connected private pipes, groundwater buildup, and blockages caused by improper disposal of items down drains. They are currently investigating the issues to determine necessary improvements to prevent future incidents. Marshman also stated that Southern Water is working to provide Darrell with any support he is entitled to under their guaranteed standards of service. However, for Darrell, these assurances ring hollow until concrete action is taken to permanently resolve the recurring sewage problem that has plagued his backyard for nearly a decade.
