SMELLY STREAM: Sewage in stream causes ‘waves of overpowering bad smells’ for Northwood resident

A concerned resident has shared her frustration over the polluted stream behind her home in Northwood.

Speaking to NORTHWOOD&RUISLIPnews, the resident, who has lived in the area for 46 years, explained that her home is only 24 feet from the North Stream.

She stated that the stream has been omitting “waves of bad smells [that] are quite overpowering at times”.

She said: “I first noticed the white sewage in the stream one morning in February, but we were having a lot of rainfall then and it appeared to get washed downstream.

“It was on Tuesday, March 11, when the weather had just started to improve and we could go outside more that we observed the stream chock full of pollution and giving off bad smells.”

The resident called the Environmental Agency hotline, who explained that Thames Water was responsible for the sewage.

She continued: “I spoke to an officer of Thames Water and gave him details of the location and access points to the North Stream at 10am.

“By 11am, a response team had knocked on my door. Two teams spent that day with a tanker and driver exploring where the pollution came from.”

She explained that they did not find the source of the leak, but that they had received numerous complaints from other residents. There is yet to be an answer to the source of the pollution.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We investigated reports of a pollution in Cannon Brook on April 3. Our teams found this was caused by a blockage of mass fat and grease which had caused a sewer flood to enter the surface water pipes, which leads to Cannon Brook. We mitigated the impact of the pollution using tankers and sandbags. The blockage has now been cleared, and we will also clean the affected watercourse. During this time, we are engaging with the Environment Agency and keeping them updated on our progress.

“We all have a role to play in reducing these types of incidents. It is important to remember only the three Ps: Pee, poo and toilet paper, should be flushed down the toilet.”

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.