More than two weeks’ worth of continuous sewage discharge into the River Hart has sparked fresh concern in Crondall.

Thames Water began releasing sewage from its treatment works into the river on Friday, February 14, and the discharge continued almost continuously for more than 15 days. It has stopped and started intermittently over the past couple of days.

The spill is the largest single discharge recorded so far this year and accounts for more than half of 2025’s total, which currently stands at more than 542 hours.

Residents say the latest incident adds to ongoing frustrations over the village’s sewer infrastructure.

Crondall has previously experienced flooding linked to the system. In 2025, a storm overflow caused sewage to pool in Pankridge Street, leaving what residents dubbed “Lake Pankridge” in the middle of the road.

The village was connected to mains sewage in the 1950s, with most homes gradually linking up. Waste drains to a holding pool and pumping station in Pankridge Street before being pumped to a standalone treatment works behind Handcroft Close. Treated discharge is then returned to the River Hart.

The stretch of the river from Crondall to Elvetham has been ranked poorly for both ecological and biological quality in a recent DEFRA assessment. The water industry is cited three times as a reason the river has not achieved “good” status.

Thames Water has been approached for comment.