Hosepipe bans and floods

As many customers will have noted, United Utilities have managed in the past week to score a rare hat-trick – a regional hosepipe ban; widespread floods; much publicised sewage leaks.

The North West TV news earlier this week even showed UU employees clearing away a major sewage leak on a housing estate with, you've guessed, a high-power hose! Clearly, it's one law for us and another for them.

The 'sewage' news story was, however, a timely reminder that it's now over a year since United Utilities were supposed to be fixing the permanent link to Audlem's main sewer from Moseley's Yard via the Fire Station.

That work was put off, we were told, because they didn't want to disrupt traffic during the village's big events, the Midsummer Music and the Transport Festival – these were, of course, the 2009 events.

Earlier last year, United Utilities had, at considerable expense, installed a promotional caravan on the Lord Combermere's car park to explain how the work was to be carried out. Many in Audlem had expressed concern to the planners in 2005 about pressure on the village's main sewer if Moseley's Yard went ahead.

Those with a keen interest in such matters, including Audlem Online's underground reporter, The Mole, suspect the regularly sinking, re-dug and re-tarmaced surface outside the fire station, and also parts of the road itself, may not be quite as they should be. Something mysterious is afoot – underground.

Perhaps pressure – maybe with a high pressure hose – should be brought on UU once again to see if this work, promised in 2009, will ever be carried out.

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