Anger at living with sewage smells for a decade

Residents on a housing estate have renewed calls for something to be done as they say they have been living with the smell of sewage for a decade.

They said the problem in Stourscombe, near Launceston, Cornwall, began when sewers from a housing development on the other side of the A388 were connected to the sewers serving the estate's 400 properties.

Resident Les Whaley said he had records going back to 2016 when the sewage smell first occurred in Snowdrop Crescent.

South West Water said they had identified the main causes of the odour as a "misconnected highway gully and flows from a privately owned pumping station".

Whaley said: "The unpleasant sewage odour has become a serious and ongoing nuisance for residents.

"At times the smell is strong enough to affect our ability to enjoy our homes, gardens and outdoor spaces."

Another housing development is currently under construction further down the A388 on the Tavistock Road.

The Liberal Democrat Cornwall councillor for the area, Damon Dennis, said: "I'm very worried that the new development will increase the problem of the smells in Stourscombe.

"Nearly 200 houses are being built and you can't tell me that that isn't going to produce far more waste, and that waste, at the moment, is planned to come straight through this estate."

He said he wanted South West Water to look at the infrastructure and make sure people living in Stourscombe did not have to put up with this "awful" smell.

South West Water said: "We've identified the main causes of the odour issues in the area as a misconnected highway gully and flows from a privately owned pumping station.

"We're working with the relevant third parties and will undertake further surveys to identify and resolve any other contributing factors."

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