Pebsham sludge spill anger

He also wants to know why during the transfer operation a temporary odour removal unit brought in to mask the smell while the work took place ran out of diesel.

Cllr Peter Fairhurst was alerted by a Pebsham resident when the effects of Wednesday's double calamity became apparent.

A Southern spokesman said on Wednesday: "As advised in the letter to residents and press release to local newspapers, Southern Water started emptying a digester at its Bexhill and Hastings wastewater treatment works on the 24th May 2005 and up until the morning of 8 June the operation had been progressing well and indeed was ahead of programme.

"Unfortunately two events occurred concurrently which resulted in a number of smell complaints being received. Southern Water took immediate action to address these problems, which have now been resolved, and wish to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused."

Southern announced two weeks ago that temporary odour removal units had been installed at Pebsham while contractors empty a sludge digester to gain access to a faulty mixer unit.

Work is needed on one of three digesters at the wastewater treatment works serving Bexhill and Hastings.

The digester stores sludge created during wastewater treatment. During the digestion process, bacteria is destroyed, making the sludge safe for recycling.

A spokesman said temporary odour removal units would be in place. "It is anticipated that the work to empty the digester will be completed by June 13."

Southern Water's wastewater manager Nev James said at the time: "The work that is being carried out is very important and will ultimately improve the treatment process at the site.

"Southern Water will make every effort to minimise any impact on the local community and we appreciate our customers' co-operation and patience while we carry out this work."

Within the digester there is a mixer, which stirs the content of the digester. It was discovered at the beginning of May that this was not working correctly. To access the mixer to find out what is wrong it is first necessary to empty the digester.

Cllr Fairhurst said on Wednesday: "I am demanding answers, I want to know why they cannot get someone to go round with a can of diesel and fill the machine they have put there to mask the smells while they are working.

"They ran out of diesel and I want to know why.

"I am also going to ask Southern Water did they build their plant next to the tip so that when they needed spares for it they could go and rummage for them.

"I cannot understand how an engineer can connect a pump to a sewage works with a pipe which bursts. If your house was on fire you wouldn't expect the fire brigade to turn up with a hose which bursts. I want to know when this plant will be commissioned. We were told two years ago that it would be completed by the September."

The plant treats up to 150 million litres of wastewater a day generated by 130,000 people in the Bexhill and Hastings area..