Prestwick sewage sage to continue

Aug 6 2010 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

GET used to sewage spilling down your street.

That was the message from Scottish Water chiefs, who admitted they don’t have cash to cure the problem.

Residents in Prestwick are demanding action on Grangemuir Road, which regularly spews raw waste.

But water bosses admit their hands are tied – because they don’t have the money to help.

And they claim it would take millions to upgrade their network and stop human waste trailing on to the pavements.

Representatives from the company met with concerned resident Andrew Fraser to deliver the bad news.

Mr Fraser, who has highlighted the growing problem in the Ayrshire Post, was told not to expect any improvements in the near future.

Scottish Water’s Colin Campbell confessed: “We totally sympathise with the problem and understand the concerns of residents.

“Unfortunately, we only get a certain amount of money from the Scottish Government and problems with internal flooding, for example inside houses, have to be prioritised.

“The issue with sewage in Grangemuir Road is classed as highway flooding and, although we take it entirely seriously, it’s something we just have to deal with as best we can.”

The water bosses promised to respond to call-outs from members of the public who spot the drains overflowing.

And although they won’t pump money into the problem area, they’ve pledged to keep lobbying the government for more cash.

Mr Campbell added: “There are no plans to spend major capital funding on places like Grangemuir Road, simply because we don’t have it.

“We don’t like coming to places like this and having to tell members of the public that we can’t invest in a problem, but that is the reality of the situation.

“The money we are given from the government can only go so far.”

But Mr Fraser, who claims Grangemuir Road is regularly swimming in sewage, says that’s not good enough.

He said: “This is supposed to be a civilised country, yet we’re expecting kids to trail through open sewage on their way to school.

“I understand the financial constraints for Scottish Water, but surely there are other ways of looking at improvements.”