Report on Chevington Pumping Station.
This station is in the High Priority Category, which means when alerted someone is sent out immediately. An assessment and service was carried out in February 2021.
It showed some worn valves which have been replaced. A new hydro brake was fitted approximately 15 - 20 years ago. No records.
This chamber controls the flow of liquid coming down the pipe under the road to the pumping station. Full inspection of the pumps confirmed that they were passing the correct flows to the receiving treatment site. Flows from the site have been looked at but due to the rising main from the pumping station Anglia Water cannot do much more with this as it would be in danger of damaging the rising main.
The rising main can only pump a certain amount of liquid through, as Chedburgh can only deal with so much. There is a filter at the entrance of the hydro-brake to stop all wipes, sanitary ware, nappies, oil put down sink, and kitchen waste. This hydro - brake can get clogged up from time to time. The pipe is only about 6ins wide. A regular maintenance programme to inspect and clean out the hydro-pump is in place. A recent visit to inspect the hydro-brake confirmed that it was prone to a build-up of rags very quickly which could have an impact on some of the flows entering the site. The regular inspections now planned should help to prevent it becoming ragged up.
One problem has been thrown up is the ditch that runs next to the Pumping Station, with the drive going over the road to Gate Cottage is constantly silted up, there is no where for the water to flow. Although this is at the moment stagnant it is not sewage. The Environment Agency have issued Anglia Water with a permit, allowing them to have an amount of surface water across the road, in extreme weather conditions.
Anglia Water suggests we write to the owner of Gate Cottage who have Riparian Rights in connection with the little stream between them and the pumping station, and get them to get it cleared out, so the water runs freely. Anglia Water have said they will help with this and to contact Highways as well.
In extreme weather conditions there can be a smell by the Pumping Station, i.e. when weather is consistently wet and consistently dry for a long period of time. i.e. this April. This smell is not a health hazard.