A family from Winchester has been left feeling despondent after their home was contaminated by sewage due to heavy rainfall. Will Capper received a call from his partner, Lauren, on 1 August notifying him that the manhole in the garden had started to overflow. The sewage pipe, which runs through their backyard, had gushed over, seeped into their home and “saturated through under the flooring”. Southern Water has promptly arranged a £500 goodwill payment to help ease their accommodation costs and expressed its sympathy.
Lauren Slater, who was inside with two young children during the deluge, explained that as soon as she saw the first trickle of water, she scooped everything she could off the floor and moved the kids upstairs. The front of the house was also two feet deep with water. Mr Capper complained that Southern Water did not do enough by arranging only for a contractor to investigate the problem, but offered to pay for their first night away from home. The next day, the company stated they were no longer responsible.
Southern Water issued a statement saying that it is looking at its facilities in the area to ensure they are operating correctly and apologised to the family for the distress caused. The firm also offered to help with accommodation costs while cleaning took place. Mr. Capper paid out of his pocket for hotel stays and is dealing with his insurance company. The insurance firm originally cited the claim as “escape of water, not flooding,” however, after a loss adjuster’s visit, the company now believes it was a flood-related incident.
The Cappers said they have spent all their money and do not have anywhere to live. Mr Capper noted, “We are in survival mode… we have nowhere to live. What do we do?” The couple pointed out that it is Southern Water’s responsibility to ensure the infrastructure is adequately managed to avoid such incidents. They are eagerly looking for a solution
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