Villagers hit out at Thames Water over sewage smell

Angry villagers vented months of frustration and rage at Thames Water managers last night - but came away with an apology and a ray of hope for the future.

Eton Wick has been in turmoil after sewage from Slough Treatment Works in Wood Lane, Cippenham was released into the village's Roundmoor Ditch over a seven week period, killing fish and causing a smell that sometimes permeated the village. 

The sewage works is legally allowed to discharge into the ditch when flood water overwhelms its systems, but this winter's extended discharge has been unprecedented.

At a public meeting held in Eton Wick School, Sheepcote Road and chaired by Eton Wick councillor Peter Lawless, Thames Water's external affairs director Richard Aylard admitted that villagers had not been kept properly informed during the crisis.

He said: "We were much too slow to communicate. We should have reacted much quicker and I put my hands up and apologise to you."

Villagers were angry at the failure of the body to give any assurances of compensation - as many are convinced their pets and even their children have been ill because of the pollution.

Villager Melanie Critchell told representatives from Thames Water and the Environment Agency who attended the meeting: "You have totally failed to understand the impact you have had on this village. Your answers are a mockery."

Villagers said they felt that the Thames Water had failed to understand the geography of Eton Wick and its 'island' structure. 

But Mr Aylard agreed to a demand that Thames Water make a formal request to the Environment Agency to be allowed to discharge into the Jubilee River in the future, if the sewage works was put out of action by flood water. 

The Jubilee River was created to protect Windsor and Maidenhead from flooding and could be big enough to absorb an overflow from Slough without creating the pollution and smell that affected Eton Wick.

Glen Browne, acting team leader for the EA was at the meeting and agreed that such a request would be taken seriously.