‘Urgent’ work planned to haltpersistent leak

A PERSISTENT roadside leak, which froze in the cold weather and caused a hazard to motorists, is to undergo urgent repairs.

The leak has been emanating from the side of Hastings Road in Telham for a number of weeks.

Drivers have complained the water has frozen a number of times during the recent cold weather, posing a danger to motorists travelling along the road.

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The leak had been reported to South East Water a number of times and the company sent specialist leak technicians to the site.

But last week tests confirmed the leak was not coming from one of the company’s pipes.

South East Water says it passed the matter on to the East Sussex County Council’s highways department.

Speaking to the Observer on Wednesday, the council says it is now treating the problem as ‘a matter of urgency’.

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Roger Williams, ESCC head of highways, said: “Members of our highways team noticed this problem at the end of January, when they discovered that a manhole cover at the location was broken.

“The drain under the road was full and as a result, water was leaking through the broken manhole cover onto the road.

“It has taken a little longer than we would have liked to rectify this problem due to delays in establishing ownership, but we are now treating this as a matter of urgency.

“Our contractors are going to the site today (Wednesday February 27) to clean the drain to help it flow more freely.

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“We hope they will also be able to replace the manhole cover itself today, although if the frame into which it fits also needs work carrying out on it, it may have to go to the contractor for repair.”