Kicking up stink over foul water in street

FED-UP residents in The Inch have hit out after being plagued by sewage problems for nearly a year.

Several people in Glenvarloch Crescent have been unable to walk out of their back doors for months due to a sea of waste lying directly outside.

It is unclear where it is coming from but residents suspect it may be the result of a broken pipe or overflowing drain outside a neighbouring flat. The foul water is around eight inches deep in some parts.

Julie Gunn, 45, who has lived in a flat on the street for almost 21 years, said son Finlay hasn't been able to play in their back garden since last summer.

The mother-of-two said: "With all the rain we've had, it is as deep as ever. I have got a six-year-old son who can't go out to play in the garden at all because the sewage is just outside the back door.

"There are steps leading up to the garden but you can't get to them without standing in the water, which is in the alleyway between the back door and the steps. I'm not very happy about it, even when the weather is reasonable I can't hang my washing out in the garden because of the smell."

She added: "I was wondering why my washing was stinking when I was taking it out of the machine, but it must be coming back up through the system."

Residents have reported the problem to the city council, but a council spokeswoman said Scottish Water was responsible for sewage-related problems.

A spokesman for Scottish Water said nobody had reported the problem to them.

Mrs Gunn, who said the last time she walked out the back door was last summer, added: "It's absolutely disgusting, you can smell it as soon as you come in the close stair - it's really vile. Everybody comments on it as soon as they walk in - it can be pretty embarrassing."

Ray Vaughan, 43, who owns Vaughan Joiners and Builders on the street, said some of his scaffolding boards, cement and sand had been damaged by the sewage, and he was no longer able to leave materials outside.

"The smell is not very nice at all," he said. "I can't even get out the back door to take my mixers out because you have got to traipse through sewage."

It is understood that residents in four flats are also affected by the problem.

Pensioner Ella Galloway, 70, who also lives on the street, said she had health concerns over the sewage. Mrs Galloway had to give corgi Buddy several baths after he stepped in the waste water while being taken for a walk earlier this week.

A spokesman for Scottish Water said: "If these residents can report it to us, we will look to formally investigate and get to the bottom of what is causing this problem."