Residents in a Convoy housing estate were left horrified at the weekend as raw sewage ran down the footpath and into a nearby river.
Pictures: Joe Boland, North West New Pix
Children played around the estate on Sunday evening as the disgusting flow seeped its way into the Deele river.
Residents, already frustrated by the quality of their water supply, were fuming to discover the mess, which was finally cleared up on Monday evening.
“We have a lot of problems in the estate and the sewers getting backed up is a big issue,” said Lorraine Parker.
“The area has a lot of children who use the road and the footpath for going to school. It’s a busy enough road.
“At the very end of the path, you could see this all seeping out all over, running down the hill and going straight into the water.
“It was pretty bad now.”
Ms Parker has been living in Beechwood for five years and says other residents in the estate have complained of a foul stench emanating from the sewers.
“The sewer system isn’t capable and it’s a big problem for the area,” Ms Parker said.
“There is a new treatment plant going into Convoy. Liam Doherty (County Council) was onto Irish Water and the Council. It was cleaned up on Monday, but we’re just worried this will happen again.”
Sinead Breen has been in Beechwood for 12 years and says the water supply is ‘diabolical’.
“Our biggest gripe here is that it isn’t safe to wash our children in,” she said.
“The water if filthy. It was all grand before Irish Water took over about two or two-and-a-half years ago.”
The supply comes from a reservoir outside Ballybofey but by the time it gets to Beechwood in Convoy it is, says Ms Breen ‘bogging’.
“When we call Irish water, they don’t know, or don’t want to know about us,” she said.
“For a day and a half there, raw sewage was on our footpaths. That isn’t good enough. They haven’t said what cause it, but it’s ridiculous.
“It was seeping into the river and you could see it plainly.”
Ms Breen believes that the planning of the estate should be called into question.
She said: “Planning permission was granted willy nilly. The sewerage hasn’t been right since the estate was built.
“There was obviously something more serious at the weekend that caused this stuff all to bubble out.”
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