November 12th 2024.
Sophocles Panayi had been raising the same issue repeatedly. He was frustrated and concerned about a blocked drain system that had left him in a difficult situation. Living in Leicestershire, he had to deal with faeces and stones being flung onto the front of his cottage due to the blockage. According to Mr. Panayi, the cause of this problem was the collapsed pipework, which had resulted in a puddle on the road that cars couldn't avoid.
Mr. Panayi, a 43-year-old resident of Copt Oak's Whitwick Road, described the smell from the drain as horrendous and unbearable. He mentioned that the drain was only two-and-a-half car lengths away from his front door, making it difficult for him to even step outside without encountering the unpleasant odor. He shared that while walking to work at the nearby pub, he would have to dodge flying faeces. He had reached out to Severn Trent through emails and calls, urging them to address the issue, but to no avail. The last straw for him was when workers showed up at 10 pm without any notice and started breaking the road with a concrete breaker, causing disturbance until 2 am.
According to Mr. Panayi, his ordeal with the drain started seven years ago, even before he moved into the 18th-century cottage in 2022. The situation had only worsened over the years, with the recent weather exacerbating the problem. He expressed his frustration, saying, "It stinks, especially with the weather." He further explained, "I am disabled, and it's tiring for me to have to keep repeating the same message over and over again. I am on chemotherapy every eight weeks, and the last thing I need is to be running back and forth on the phone with people who don't seem to care."
The situation had become so severe that Mr. Panayi's next-door neighbor's car was even covered in faeces when it was parked on the drive. He himself had experienced faeces flying over the front of his home. He also mentioned that the gate was rotten, and the smell was unbearable, especially with the recent weather. He shared his concern for his dog and other animals, saying, "We know contamination is not good for animals."
The stress and inconvenience caused by the blocked drain had taken a toll on Mr. Panayi. He was tired of the constant finger-pointing and unnecessary chasing. He also pointed out the damage caused to his property, saying, "All my garden needs digging out, the gate, the fence needs replacing. Who would want to live with that?" He alleged that Severn Trent had been trying to pass off the responsibility, claiming that the drain was not under their jurisdiction, and the residents would have to pay for any repairs. However, Mr. Panayi had conducted a drain search and found that the drain was, in fact, under Severn Trent's control.
Mr. Panayi and his wife had chosen to live in this rural location for its peace and quiet, surrounded by nature. However, their dream had turned into a nightmare due to the blocked drain. Mr. Panayi shared, "It's everything I have worked for. It has been an ordeal for the last seven years." He also mentioned that Severn Trent had initially tried to evade responsibility, but he had evidence to prove otherwise. He said, "I don't see why I have to walk across stones and feces because of them. It has not been pleasant for my wife and me. I have been passed from pillar to post by Severn Trent."
According to Mr. Panayi, Severn Trent had sent a team to unblock the drain every time it got blocked, instead of addressing the core issue of the collapsed pipework. He claimed that the problem had been left for so long that bricks were now coming through the pipe. He shared, "Every time the traffic light changes, I have a 15-foot wave of faeces flying into my home. I have given them (Severn Trent) more than enough chances, and my poor neighbors are just tired and beaten." He also mentioned that he had been a loyal customer of Severn Trent for 27 years and had never paid a bill late.
A spokesperson from Severn Trent stated that they had conducted multiple investigations in the area, as there had been repeated blockages caused by sewer misuse. However, each time, they found that their pipes were functioning correctly and had no issues. They acknowledged the inconvenience caused by blockages and said that their team had recently cleared another blockage caused by incorrect items being put into the network. They urged everyone to dispose of wipes and sanitary products in the bin and avoid pouring fats and oils down the sink to prevent further blockages.
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