YORKSHIRE Water has apologised for not clearing away sewage rags "as quickly as they should have been" after they clogged up the grill of a stall water overflow in the Bradford district.

Pictures show debris, mainly made up of wet wipes, covering the systems at Marley Sewage Treatment Works in Keighley.

It is believed the filth had been present on the grill for a couple of months since the floods in February, which were caused by various storms.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Sewage rags on the grillSewage rags on the grill

One onlooker, who lives in Bingley, downstream from the works, said: "It is high profile nationally, discharge from stall water overflows. It has been going on for 50 years. 

"It comes down and goes on the trees (near where I live). These wet wipes get washed up onto the banks. They have plastic in them, so they are strong and hard to break up.

"I went down for the first time (to Marley Sewage Treatment Works) on January 22 and the whole thing was coated with rags. I went back on January 31 and it had cleaned been up.

"In February, we had the floods and it all came back. What is on the grill would have been just a sample, thousands of rags would have gone down the river.

"I went back on April 22 and it was the same, it had not been cleaned."

The grill was cleaned on May 9 but, as the images show, the rags were simply just transferred to the grass bank next to the system.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The sewage rags on the riverbank.The sewage rags on the riverbank.

The onlooker, who wanted to remain anonymous, added: "I complained to the Environment Agency and I'm guessing they would have told Yorkshire Water who have just dumped the rags on the riverbank.

"They could easily be carried back into the river. You would have thought they would have taken them away and burned them."

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The system at Marley Sewage Treatment Works in Keighley.The system at Marley Sewage Treatment Works in Keighley.

The Telegraph & Argus approached Bradford Council who thought the query was more suited to the Environment Agency.

However, the agency was keen to point out they were not involved and it was for Yorkshire Water to explain why the rags were still present.

The services company held their hands up to the Telegraph & Argus, admitting their mistake and took immediate action.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that the rags weren’t cleared away as quickly as they should have been on this occasion.

"We’ve got a team on site doing a cleanup today.”