Four calls to the council, even more emails, and now I’ve actually visited their office, and I’m still not sure they’re going to do a single thing about the waste leaking from the wall at the end of the road. Our road runs into a hill, you see, so the house on the corner is raised quite a bit and there’s a large concrete wall just on the left. And IN that wall is a hole. There’s been unspeakable material leaking from that hole for quite a while now and no one seems to care, at least not the people who own the house and not the people from the council.
“I’m afraid it’s the responsibility of the resident. We can’t provide any drain repair without their express permission to have work done on the property.”
But…it’s leaking onto everyone’s property. That sludge is covering a whole section of pavement, it’s been there for months, and everyone just has to walk around it. I’m afraid telling us to just get over it isn’t good enough. I’d understand if I called a drain unblocking company and they said they couldn’t help, because you can’t just sic workmen on someone else’s home. I don’t like how Abileen Williams next door trims her petunias, but I’m not about to call a gardener and just say it’s fine for them to invade. But this is a public health hazard. What if someone just went out every day and dumped their bin all over the street?? We can’t have people thinking that sort of behaviour is just fine. There have to be consequences for befouling public areas.
You know, I’ve half a mind to find a really good drain cleaning company in Melbourne and just…sic them on the property anyway. This has become a public issue, and I am a member of the public who is taking action. Me, and everyone else who has to cross the road to avoid the sludge.
-Leena