A message sent to Sussex World on Saturday night (October 26) raised the alarm that there was a ‘public health emergency happening’ in Southwick – at Southern Water’s wastewater pumping station in Albion Street.
The water company apologised to residents affected after video footage showed 'raw excrement' covering local roads.
Southern Water issued a statement in response on Sunday morning – and explained what caused the spill. The water company said its teams ‘acted quickly’ and completed the clean-up operation by 3am.
A spokesperson said: “Our team worked overnight to swiftly clean up the sewage overflow, which was caused by a mechanical failure that has now been resolved.
"We’re very sorry for the disruption and inconvenience to the local community.”
Click here to read more about the incident, and see more photos, from the perspective of the Southwick community.