Raw Sewage Overflow

Raw Sewage Overflow - River Great Ouse (West Street, Buckingham) 

Date – Tuesday, 9th September (PM) 

On Tuesday evening, a member of Flood Action 4 Buckingham identified raw sewage overflowing directly into the River Great Ouse, they immediately contacted Anglian Water.  

A group member also checked the live sewage discharge monitor for the site, which did NOT show any active discharge. This raised concerns if the monitor was working and how long it had been inoperative - the last recorded discharge was the 7th March 2025 (5 minutes duration). 

Anglian Water responded quickly, within 2 hours and unblocked the drain identified as the culprit in West Street. A new monitor will be installed to cover West Street, it does not take much to cause the overflow to discharge, putting raw sewage into the river. 

This blockage and discharge are a direct result of individuals flushing wipes down their toilets. These do not break down and are a major cause of blockages. 

We must work together to prevent this happening again. 

Only Flush the 3 Ps: Pee, Poo, Paper (Toilet paper only) 

Do not flush wipes, cotton buds, sanitary items, fats, oils or other non-flushable materials. 

Learn More: 

Anglian Water – What Can I Flush? 

Water UK – Ban the Wipe Campaign 

Together, we can protect our river and reduce the risk of pollution and flooding in Buckingham.