DIDCOT’S Great Western Park needs improvements to its sewerage system as it is already becoming overloaded, councillors have claimed.

Thames Water has had to install tankers at a pumping station near the estate to ensure excess water does not overflow on to the streets, according to county councillor for Didcot West Nick Hards.

He has urged the water company, South Oxfordshire District Council, and developers Taylor Wimpey to tackle the problem.

Mr Hards said: “About 500 homes have been built at Great Western Park so far and as I understand it the homes have been linked to the existing sewerage system for the town.

“There are about 3,500 homes planned for the estate so as more homes are built a large diameter pipe will need to be installed to take sewage away.

“Ideally, the new pipe should have been provided before the new homes were built, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.

“If the waste water isn’t pumped away then the system could become overloaded and it could end up flowing down the hill.

“Residents have had to put up with the noise of the tankers and the smell.”

A Taylor Wimpey spokesman and the Great Western Park Consortium said the overall network and any upgrades were the responsibility of Thames Water, adding that the consortium pays the company infrastructure charges.

Thames Water said that the sewerage network on the Great Western Park estate was constructed and is owned by the developer, Taylor Wimpey, and sewage is managed by Scottish and Southern Electricity (SSE) as the developer’s chosen utility provider for that site.

South Oxfordshire District Council has urged Thames Water to find a speedy solution.