CONCERNS have been raised over the wastage of fresh water after a councillor discovered a pipe gushing water down the drain.

Councillor Dave Gronland, 74, was shocked to discover an underground pipe by his home in Balls Chase, Halstead led to nowhere, pouring water down the drain.

Dave has lived at his home for seven years and recently made the discovery.

He discovered a pipe in a nearby manhole which was gushing out clean, usable water.

After getting in touch with Anglian Water, they confirmed it was their water, as it was chlorinated, which can be drunk and used to wash up dished and so on.

However, the pipe is pouring water out constantly which is going to waste as it falls in to the manhole.

According to Dave though, Anglian Water are unwilling to fix the problem.

Councillor Gronland said: "The main water pipe actually runs down the middle of all our front gardens, but usually it would run under the pavement and then tee off into your house.

"Anglian Water came out recently and lifted up a manhole cover near to my home and found all this water just gushing out this pipe, but they said it wasn’t their problem.

"They confirmed it is their water, because it has chlorine in it, and not spring water, but they say it is a private pipe, so they don’t have to do anything.

"None of us who live here are having any problems because of it, but gallons and gallons of water is just roaring out and being wasted and it is really bad.

"It isn’t right that so much water is just going to waste, and it is terrible and appalling really."

However, due to the pipe's location, Anglian Water say that it is not their responsibility to fix the issue.

A spokesman said: “Anglian Water can only maintain and repair the pipes and sewers that take water up to the curtilage of a property.

"The leak on the pipework on Ball's Chase falls within the property boundary on a shared supply pipe, and as such as the homeowners’ responsibility to repair.”