Anglian Water has rolled out the regional awareness campaign which started in Peterborough and Milton Keynes earlier this year to encourage homeowners in Suffolk to keep their eyes open for privately-owned pumping pumping stations and report them to the company.
From October Anglian Water will become legally responsible for many private pumping stations across the county, relieving their owners of the need to pay hundreds of pounds in electricity costs, maintenance and repairs.
Emma Staples from Anglian Water said:
“We’re calling on residents to help us locate these privately owned pumping stations because they are often tucked away and it’s locals who know best where they are hiding.”
“Private pumping stations are massive money pits, literally pumping money out of homeowners’ wallets. If you have one, you are paying for the electricity running costs, for maintenance and any repairs – and that work is not cheap.”
“Pumping stations come in all shapes and sizes; they can be built of brick, wood, metal – but are not to be confused with the electricity and broadband junction boxes. They might be on the street, pavement, or buried in undergrowth in the back garden – we’ve even had one covered with a rockery!”
In 2011, Anglian Water took ownership of all formerly private sewer pipes that were under shared ownership and those outside the boundary of people’s properties. Taking on private pumping stations is the next step. Although most pumping stations are already owned and operated by water companies, thousands are still in private hands.
The company has launched the regional awareness campaign to encourage people to keep their eyes open for the pumping stations and report them to Anglian Water. The water company will investigate, check they are eligible to be adopted, and then bring them up to standard for the future.
To help customers identify private pumping stations and report them, the water company has launched a new website www.spotapumpingstation.co.uk
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