Sewage flooding concerns in Twigworth amid new housing developments
Residents face overflowing sewage issues as more homes are planned
Residents in Twigworth, Innsworth, and Longford are currently experiencing severe sewage overflow issues as the local sewerage system struggles to cope with recent housing developments in the area.
According to residents, the fields and footpaths connecting the three villages have been flooded with sewage for over two weeks, leading to discomfort and concern for many.
Efforts are being made to alleviate the situation, with tankers extracting sewage from manholes, adding noise and the presence of large vehicles to the affected residential areas.
Rick Harris, a Longford Parish Councillor, expressed frustration at the lack of communication from authorities, asking, "Is this what we have to expect indefinitely? Try as we have, we cannot get any information from the tanker drivers, or from the borough council.”
The overflow has affected village properties, with blocked sewers and drains posing a constant threat.
Twigworth Parish Council has twice petitioned Tewkesbury Borough Council for a status update on the Longford pumping station, believed to be the root of the problem, with no response so far.
George Sharpley, chairman of Twigworth Parish Council, stated, “We have been asking for two things. An update on the immediate crisis, and secondly, that hundreds of new houses due to be added to these failing networks will be held back until the problems are properly sorted. I’ve had no reply to emails or phone messages. People are angry, and worried.”
Councillor Sarah Hands, responsible for planning and placemaking at the Borough Council, confirmed that the sewage issues are on their radar.
“The Environment Agency is leading the investigation, and our Environmental Health team is working closely with them to monitor the situation,” Hands said.
"Severn Trent Water (STW) is responsible for maintaining the drainage network… We'll continue to ensure that both Severn Trent and the Environment Agency are notified as quickly as possible about further pollution incidents."
A Severn Trent Water spokesperson acknowledged the issues and emphasized their commitment to improving the situation.
"We’ve invested heavily to increase capacity across the network since 2020," they said.
"Investigations show our system is operating as it should, but we’re working with local developers on an underlying issue… While this is being fixed, tankers are being used as a short‑term measure to help manage the situation."