A PROBLEMATIC drain which is said to have been leaking smelly sewage water for more than two years has been described as an environmental hazard.

Lee Scordis, Colchester councillor for Old Heath and The Hythe, has urged Anglian Water to address what he believes to be a serious health issue in Haven Road.

The campaigning representative says a drain in the area has been spewing out unpleasant liquid for years yet still nothing has been done to address the problem.

In addition to the environmental risks, Mr Scordis also believes the neglected sewage spot only furthers the negative stigma attached to The Hythe area.

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He said: “This issue has been going on for years and it is not very nice when you see the pavements covered in brown faeces and leaking water.

“It is also naturally eroding the pavement and it smells quite bad when you are near it or if you have to walk through it.

“There is also the indirect additional risk of having to cross a very busy road if you want to avoid it, especially for people leaving the nearby gym.

“People already think The Hythe is not the greatest place and it does not help when Anglian Water are leaving drainage filled with faeces everywhere.”

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Mr Scordis has now called on Colchester Council to start legal action against Anglian Water – a company he says has truly failed residents in the area.

He added: “They have constantly denied responsibility and said it is an Essex Highways issue, but it’s not and so it just feels like they are passing the buck.

“Local residents are not happy because to them it is a sign that they are letting the area down again seeing as they will not even clean up their own mess.”

A spokewomans for Anglian Water said: "This is a Highways drain – we’re aware of the issues with it, but it’s not our asset so there’s nothing we can do on it.

"None of our surface water drainage goes into this one."