Baglan flood victim continues appeal over garden sewage misery

A BAGLAN flood victim is appealing for help to restore her garden fully after it was drenched in sewage.

Eleonor Phillips said despite attempts by Welsh Water to remove the sewage, the smell still remains in her garden.

Mrs Phillips said she was horrified when she was struck by flooding once again at her Millbrook Road home.

Only days previously, she and her family had moved back into their home following a devastating flood in August.

But a problem with Welsh Water pumps compounded by torrential rain in May caused sewage water to seep through manhole covers and end up an inch from going inside the house.

Mrs Phillips, 49, has now written a letter to Welsh Water for further assistance on her garden.

"I am very happy with the immediate response in cleaning up my pavements and my husband's garage that was awfully full of fresh sewage waste," she said. "My garden was soaked in filthy sewage water, which is so unhygienic.

"Welsh Water workmen came out to scrape off the sewage waste. The workmen recommended that since the foul smell remains the garden needs to be done thoroughly.

"I do sincerely hope that something will be done."

Mrs Phillips, whose husband, Terry, died after suffering a heart attack while they were waiting to move back home, said she misses her garden.

"I enjoy gardening and I had invested a lot of money on it," she said. "But now I have not touched it since the flooding.

"I am stressed and it feels like an endless problem. I come back to the house and this has happened, and my husband has gone."

A Welsh Water spokesman said: "We have received the letter from Mrs Phillips and are in the process of investigating the issue raised. While our investigations are ongoing, it would be unwise for us to comment further."

A spokesman for insurers Aviva said: "The damage to garden did not form part of the original flood claim in August 2010.

"Aviva were aware that the customer was concerned about contamination to garden from a previous flood and so approximately six weeks ago Aviva arranged for an independent environmental consultant to test the garden.

"The results were negative — no contamination. All other matters re the original claim were closed.

"If there is new damage to the garage (or other hard surface such as patio, paths) then the customer can make a new claim but appears that Welsh Water are already managing the incident."

gill.roberts@swwmedia.co.uk

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503366/s/15ad60bc/l/0L0Sthisissouthwales0O0Cnews0CFlooding0Evictim0Es0Eappeal0Eend0Egarden0Esewage0Emisery0Carticle0E3629110A0Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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