Sleep-deprived residents kept awake by 24-hour water main works finally have some peace after the end of the disruptive project.
A fleet of lorries and tankers poured into narrow Golf Road in Deal on Saturday, September 21, to carry out emergency repairs at a nearby pumping station.
Neighbours had to put up with the chaos for 10 days, complaining of the noise, foul smells and impact on traffic and parking.
A KentOnline reporter visited the street last Friday, where one resident, Audrey Rumsam, was desperate for the work to end.
“It’s awful because we have a continual smell of the sewers,” she said.
“When they change over the pipes, there is sometimes spillage onto the road.
“We can’t open our windows at all, because it’s 24/7.
“You have the tankers coming in and out and the pumping and noise.
“I’ve got a 12-year-old daughter who’s autistic, and she’s stressed out. We also have dogs totally stressed out.”
Ms Rumsam added the noise at night was keeping her and her family awake.
“The whole family wakes up in the middle of the night because you get the workmen out here talking at all hours,” she said.
The work began finally ended today, bringing to an end the misery for neighbours.
Among those who will welcome the peace is Paul Hadaway, who said on Friday: “It’s been going on 24/7 for several days now, middle of the night, all times.
“It’s absolute chaos for us living here, trying to park, no information on anything. We don’t really know what’s going on and when it’s going to be sorted. When you speak to the workmen they don’t know either.
“It’s stopping my son from sleeping – he’s at the front of the house, he’s awake throughout the night.
“We’re getting woken up at all times of the night and day by flashing lights and the noise.”
Our reporter at the scene could smell the sewage and saw lorries and tankers constantly moving up and down the narrow street.
Traffic was controlled by temporary lights. A long queue of lorries was parked on a footpath to give car drivers the chance to get past.
There were also huge tankers trying to reverse into tight spots or drive past each other.
A Southern Water spokesperson said: “We were dealing with a burst rising main at our pumping station near Golf Road, which required the use of tankers to manage flows while the repairs were carried out.
“The incident started on September 21 and was resolved on Monday morning, with all tankers taken off-site.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused to the public while the repairs were made.
“Obviously we were not able to give any advance notice of the works because this was an unforeseen event but we have posted regular progress updates on our website.”
