Thames Water ordered to tackle sewage smell

Thames Water has been ordered to take action over smells from a sewage tank in Camberley, Surrey

Thames Water has been ordered to take action over smells from a large sewage tank in Surrey.

Neighbours of the site in Riverside Way, Camberley, have complained for weeks about "cess-pit" smells from its treatment works.

Surrey Heath Borough Council’s environmental health team has written to the company to require "all reasonably practicable action to mitigate the foul smells".

Thames Water has apologised, stating a “deep clean” had been delayed by risk assessments, but said an odour control system had been installed.

Camberley resident Thomas George said the “disgusting” smell was the worst it had ever been.

“You can't have the windows open or your house smells of sewage,” he told BBC Radio Surrey.

Councillor Morgan Rise said the council is looking to “press Thames Water to urgently address this issue”.

"We appreciate the negative effect the smell is having on the lives of residents that live near to the treatment works,” he said.

"The council is taking legal advice regarding what further action can be taken if it is not considered that Thames Water is satisfactorily controlling odour from the treatment works.”

A Thames Water spokesperson said the firm was “working hard to fix the odour issues”.

“We fully understand how unpleasant this must be and would like to apologise to local people who are impacted at this time,” a spokesperson said.