Raw sewage burst from crack in Commercial Road, Penryn

Commercial Road was blocked as raw sewage erupted from a crack in the road as drivers were forced to drive their cars through the brown water.

Miles Mason at the Jubilee Warehouse directly opposite the where the water had burst through told the Packet system underneath the road had filled up and the pump that was supposed to pump it into the next tank underground had failed.

The water containing sewage was also seen flowing into the Penryn River (Image: Supplied)

“There’s been so much water and the pressure has built up and it’s come through the road,” he said “The whole road was covered lapping against the door and it started to come into the storage area. Luckily I was able to open a drain and let it drain away. It was really smelly.

The water and the sewage erupted through a crack in the road (Image: Staff)

“The whole road was flooded. There was a lot of pressure and then it would be released but it would build up and come again.”

Another eyewitness told the Packet he was also concerned about the sewage going into the river.

The smelly water flowed into businesses (Image: Miles Mason)

“South West Water pipes burst that they constantly close the road to repair but never actually fix, disrupting local business for months on end,” he said.

“What isn't obvious, and they would probably be happy nobody saw from the road is that this raw sewage is going straight into the estuary the other side of the buildings.”

Workers and tankers at the scene (Image: Staff)

When the Packet arrived at the scene the water flow had stopped and numerous trucks, tankers and workmen at the scene clearing up.

Local businesses were clearing up the mess and traffic was flowing slowly. There was still a strong smell of sewage in the air.

The water containing sewage went into businesses (Image: Miles Mason)

A spokesperson for South West Water said: “We are working hard to fix a burst sewer on Commercial Road in Penryn and we are using tankers to remove flows from the pipe so the repair can be made.

“We will be using temporary traffic lights on the road so we can finish this work as quickly and safely as possible. We are sorry for any disruption this may cause.”

The company said is currently investing £850,000 to replace this main and stop issues like this occurring.

After completing the main phase of this work earlier in the year, its aims to complete the final stage of the scheme in May 2025.