Villagers could be waiting until 2004 for persistent sewage leaks to be plugged once and for all.
That was the message from water watchdogs today after they admitted they had done all they could to persuade Anglian Water to deal with the problem in South Woodham Ferrers.
It will come as a double blow to residents after they revealed this week that sewage leaks from the community's drainage system are spreading.
They say they are determined to get the company to act, but the news could scupper their campaign and leave them with a decidedly stinky problem for another two years at least.
Anglian Water insists it is doing all it can and regularly clears up any sewage leaks.
A spokesman for Water Voice, an offshoot of regulatory body Ofwat, said they were able to rule on how much money water companies spent on repairing sewage leaks - but not HOW they spent it.
The situation may change in 2004 when Ofwat publishes its new proposals for increased sewage leak funding and for making external leaks the same priority as internal leaks.
Published Wednesday August 21, 2002
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