Broken sewer causes a stink in Matlock but authorities swerve questions on infrastructure

The pipe on Bakewell Road appears to have burst over the weekend, and initial reaction from Severn Trent suggests it could take some time to resolve the issue.

On Tuesday, August 3, the company began digging down to expose the pipe for a full inspection.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We are really sorry for the disruption caused by our essential sewer repairs. Our teams are currently working outside Marks & Spencer and Twiggs, and we will be using two way traffic lights to help keep everybody safe.

“We are incredibly sorry about this, and we fully understand that this may cause some traffic disturbance, but our teams will be working around the clock and using tankers to make sure the network can operate as normal.”

They added: “We’d like to thank residents for their patience and reassure them we’re doing everything we can to get back to normal as quickly as possible.”

Images shared online by residents were said to show raw sewage flowing into the Derwent, but Severn Trent declined to answer the Mercury’s questions on any hazards, saying only that it was working with the Environment Agency and other authorities to contain the situation.

They also said it was too early to determine the cause of the problem, despite speculation that heavy rain may have been a factor.

It is not the first time in recent months that the firm has been forced to bring in tankers to pump away waste.

While many residents have been quick to highlight the impact of new housing developments on local infrastructure, Derbyshire Dales District Council would not be drawn on whether this presented a serious issue for its planning policies.

A spokesman said: “It's Severn Trent's responsibility to manage the sewerage infrastructure and any complaints around environmental issues would be directed to them.

“To connect to the public sewerage system, developers have to obtain separate permission from Severn Trent, who assess connection requirements and existing network capacity before issuing any approval.”

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