Living on ‘Poo Mews’: 30 Years of Sewage Flooding and Dead Rats

Residents of ‘Poo Mews’ in Erith, London, face ongoing sewage flooding issues, raising health concerns and frustration.

Living on ‘Poo Mews’: 30 Years of Sewage Flooding and Dead Rats
Living on ‘Poo Mews’: 30 Years of Sewage Flooding and Dead Rats

Erith: A resident on a street known as “Poo Mews” has shared his long struggle with sewage flooding and dead rats. Paul Seymour, 65, has lived on Sandcliff Road since 1997 and has seen this nightmare unfold repeatedly.

He’s dealt with raw sewage bubbling up from a manhole cover about 20 times. Just this week, footage showed murky water flooding the street. It’s a real mess, with faeces, used sanitary products, and even dead rats everywhere.

Paul remembers one night when he and his wife were jolted awake by a loud noise. They thought it was a flood, and sadly, it was. In November 1998, sewage and chemicals flowed down the road, affecting ten homes. While they were lucky to avoid flooding, many neighbors weren’t so fortunate.

Thames Water took two years to fix the damage back then, promising to solve the problem. But Paul says it keeps happening every year or two. The manhole cover pops up, and out comes a torrent of waste. It’s baffling because it doesn’t always follow heavy rain.

He’s reached out to Bexley Council, but they just pass the buck to Thames Water. Paul says they ask if there’s any health risk, and of course, there is! Raw sewage on the street is a big deal. Thames Water cleans it up and claims it’s fixed, but the issue just comes back.

Paul spoke to a civil engineer who suggested the ongoing construction work might be causing the problem. He finds it odd that the overflow doesn’t always happen during heavy rain, which makes it even more confusing.

Paul and his wife wanted to move away from this mess, but selling their home is tough with all this going on. Locals have dubbed the street “Poo Mews,” and it even appeared in a documentary called Britain’s Horror Homes.

Feeling stuck, Paul said, “We’re going to have to live here until we die, which, if this raw sewage keeps up, won’t be long.”

Bexley Council stated it’s a Thames Water issue, while Thames Water acknowledged the flooding was due to items blocking the sewers. They reminded residents to only flush the three P’s: pee, poo, and toilet paper to help prevent blockages.

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Mangesh Wakchaure is a talented writer who shares engaging and insightful content on topics ranging from politics to culture.