Raw sewage railway scandal at The Brexit Roadhouse. But what does Nigel Farage think?

In order to properly introduce today's link to The Guardian, kindly allow me to rewind 32 years.

30 years ago today: (May 1987) Sarajevo, Mostar and what came after.

... I was headed for the coast on Friday, and Mostar was the next stop, three hours by train from Sarajevo. It was during this ride that Yugoslavia's mountains became a tangible, visceral presence.

One of my memories of this trip was a long period when the train stopped and sat, apparently waiting for another train coming in our direction to pass over a stretch of single track. Here's the view from my window.

I was in the compartment nearest the toilet, which in the typical European fashion of the time usually involved a foot pedal and trap door which deposited one's leavings onto the track.

However, some Yugoslav trains didn't have a commode, just a hole in the floor. Mine was one of them. It remains difficult for me to imagine squatting on a moving train, and perhaps this is why, with yet another contingent of soldiers on the train, as we sat stock still atop the high mountain pass for an hour, they marched one by one to the WC, and ...

I was very glad when the train started moving again.

That's correct. You depressed the mechanical foot pedal, the hinged door swung down, and the tracks could be seen flying past. Theoretically there was a water line attached to ease gravity's task, but not always.

From defunct Yugoslavia we skip forward to debatably "United" Kingdom of today, where I'm genuinely surprised to learn that rolling stock this old remains in use. After all, it's been a while since I greeted the right-of-way void on the continent while using the loo on a moving train.

Train firms backtrack over pledge to ban raw sewage on railway lines, by Gwyn Topham (The Guardian/The Observer)

Operators admit target to end ‘disgusting practice’ by the end of the year will not be met

A pledge to end the dumping of human waste on railway tracks in England and Wales by the end of the year will no longer be met, Network Rail and train firms have admitted.

Although Network Rail’s former chief executive, Mark Carne, said in 2017 he had secured government agreement to end the “disgusting practice” by 2019, several companies will continue to use trains whose toilets flush directly onto the track.

In 2017 the Department for Transport had said all franchises would compel firms to ensure trains had modern toilets, but several operators have now applied for exemptions. Labour said it was “totally unacceptable that railway workers continue to endure such unsanitary conditions in the 21st century” ...

Speaking of raw sewage leaks ...

Apparently Tricky Dickey wasn't available for comment.

10,000 gallons of raw sewage leak into Slate Run Creek

FLOYD COUNTY — An estimated 10,000 gallons of raw sewage has discharged into Slate Run Creek, according to Floyd County Emergency Management officials.

Director of New Albany Wastewater Department Rob Sartell reported the incident to the Indiana Department of Environment Management around 2 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release. The discharge was the result of a broken force main behind Kahl's Body Shop on Mount Tabor Road in New Albany ...

Live sewage and stormwater blogging, version 3.0: Council members, city officials and the mayor weigh in.

Jeff Gahan thanks the residents for coming in tonight, and shows a few photos to accent his point. He seems to be trying to use the resolution as a means of calling attention to the problem.

Not knocking anyone, but these problems are getting worse. Wants a resolution for $75,000 to help alleviate distress, and knows it's a band-aid, but thinks it may not be enough ... city picked up branches after previous storms ... those were acts of God, too ... may not formally introduce the resolution, but may come back with a full ordinance.

Resolution is read aloud. Gahan is satisfied that the resolution will start a conversation. Be on the lookout for explanations and further action.

Bob Caesar (D-2nd): Agrees. So does Diane Benedetti, and Stan Robison looks like he's in very real pain.

Price: Short term things wouldn't cost much, like a hotline phone number, check things, talk to John Rosenburger (ROSENBARGER, Mr. Preece), and now he's in full grandstand and concedes the council is responsible, fgkfgkey, gfrkegfeygr, feyrgfkey, gfrakuegf ... back up valves ... insurance money ... won't be able to live there.

NOTE: Both Price and Caesar have conceded council responsibility for the situation because of previous rulings on development ... Stan is incredulous.

Gahan: People who make all these payments should not be told that it isn't the sewer system's problem.

Benedetti: Stormwater back in house, and she has been working diligently, and she will take up for the stormwater people ...

Gahan: Be aware of the patterns.

Coffey: Wants to move on to the mayor.

Doug England: "I'm not going to make a campaign speech."

Kudos to the retention pond idea, according to the mayor. Makes a Freudian slip, referring to Ethridge as "Eastridge." Supports the stormwater people.

England: This and previous councils are to blame because they will not risk unpopularity to actually charge for the changes that need to be made in the sewage system. Challenges the council: What's it going to cost? Says we'll now decide what it will take to make the repairs and changes needed. Finger wagging directly at the council. And, if no one want's to live in New Albany, how can development be the problem?

Facts: Dollars, dollars, dollars. Fix it all? We receive less each year than the year before. "Hate to tell you," but it's about money. Can't promise lies and tell stories. Came back from a better job and doesn't know why.

RARE FORM TONIGHT.

Council needs to decide. City has no control over the sewer lines, and disagrees with those who privatized it in the previous administration. Have to stand up and do something. If you want to fix something ... where's the money come from? EDIT's almost dry. Get the sewer and stormwater bills in line. None of you were sitting here when this problem started.

But what I came here for ...

England: Will bring an ordinance to the next city council meeting to raise the garbage collection. We pay $15.18, and charge $13.75. The difference comes from the sewer utility. Wants to raise it $5 to cover inflation. Now goes on another flight to decry the previous administration's privatization. Explains that the street department is too busy collecting trash exempt from the current collection contract to do street work. England wants to put streets and garbage where they belong.

England: Police here tonight. We're fighting for survival, because the federal stimulus money comes into Indianapolis, and then we don't get any of it.

Extols the riverfront during the 4th of July.

England: Speaks for Kemper, which is the ordinance coming up tonight for 2nd and 3rd readings. Wants to make a nice clean factory his legacy. Calls out Jeff Gahan in a humorous aside.

Coffey: Returns to drainage. Any studies done?

England: EMC has the only study. We haven't spent money because the city doesn;t control EMC.

Marinaro: In 2003.

Coffey: No masterplan. Need to see what we're dealing with.

Price: Joins the scrum against EMC's contract by grandstanding to the crowd about EMC's annual $3.5 million annual take.

Wants the garbage done, beginning next meeting. Addresses the citizens, departs.

Live blogging continues (2), as sewage yet again bubbles to the service in the 5th and 6th districts.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS TIME, continued.

The sewage/drainage issue in the 5th and 6th districts has appeared out of nowhere in light of the heavy rains in June.

4. Tom (didn't catch the name) (same neighborhood) - has been putting up with the water for a quarter-century, this time it was in his basement, too.

5. Peg - same answer as everyone else (act of God) and is concerned that the lift station was being repaired earlier in the week. Was it working properly? Her mom's basement was ruined. Valuable lost. Previously, her deceased father was told it wouldn't be necessary to use the sewer lock in longer. Looking for compensation owing to it being a closed system. Intends to petition the sewer board. Insurance getting hard to obtain for such. Why are they now in the flood plain (as of July 1).

Steve Price (D-3rd) asks about the back flow valves. Clarifies that to have turned the key would have removed the problem, and that it is attached to each house.

She explains the key apparatus. "Not the kind of thing" to be easily turned. Crowd starts to get out of hand, Coffey reigns 'em in. He's furiously calculating as the testimony unfolds.

6. Marilyn Shumate - Lynnwood Drive. Accustomed to flooding (5 times in three years) but this time water moved her backyard shed and ran it into a tree. Thinks a new unconnected drainage ditch is to blame. The problem is getting worse. She's been told, "there's no money for it."

Coffey: Previous administrations took control of sewers and stormwater from the council ("in their infinite wisdom"), thus fulfilling his need to grandstand. Blames this lack of control.

Marinaro: Spent $200,000 roughly in 2003.
Gahan: Can we read the resolution aloud (it wasn't made public)?
Coffey elaborates: "This mayor" has taken stormwater back "in house."

Confusing exchanges as everyone tries to get a word in simultaneously.

7. Randy Ryall - "Not much to complain," from Woodside Drive. Too busy sandbagging his door to take photos. There's been water since 1984, but now it's heading for his house. Could be a new house diagonally across from him. "Strange" that all these people are having the problem now.

8. Bobby Bauman - Mellwood Drive. Has a vacant lot across the way that is acting as a retention basin. If a house is built there, he suspects that there'll be flooding in his part of the neighborhood. "At times I have lakefront property."

9. Sonya Brummett - Awoke to sewage on the floor. Insurance covered $10,000, but still owes five. Never a problem in 19 years. Plumber told her that a valve cap in her house would send sewage into someone else's house. Understands the water, not the sewage. Had to temporarily send her mother to a nursing home.

Steve Price regales us with descriptions of a tort claim, but correctly points out that unchecked development is the culprit. It's hard to argue with that, really.

Coffey: "There's no one here from EMC, is there?"

Stan Robison (city attorney): Discourses on definitions of negligence ... attorneys will have to confer, but this is "a common sense problem" with the vendor (EMC) ... administration decides whether it's an act of negligence. Used to have meetings to discuss these claims, and will have to do it with these, too.

10. Bob Chism - Hollee Drive. Garage filled with runoff, and no one called him back. Wants a catch-all. How to get someone to come look? Has made previous repairs, but it can't handle the volume of runoff. Would like some help.

11. Paul Etheridge - State worker on Grant Line. Daughter's problem owes to clogging of pipes. City needs a sewer jet. We have city workers, and they need to do the job. No reason for these pipes to be clogged. Will try to do what he can to handle some of these things, but the maintenance workers have to unclog pipes!

12. LeAnna Humphrey - Elmwood. Has already done $30,000 of remodeling, now it's flooded again. Lives in the basement, so no alternative. Health ramifications are scary. He can be gotten to examine houses for healthiness? Commends police and fire departments. Elmwood floods every time.

Live blogging at the city council meeting, for no plausible reason at all.

Full house tonight for three fairly big things: EDIT funds for police, Kemper foods (2 & 3) and something new, a resolution sponsored by Jeff Gahan (D-6th) to use EDIT funds for flooding and storm damage.

Quick run-throughs of the usual preludes. CF-1 forms are advanced to the front. Dan Coffey (D-1st) explains to the gallery of many new faces that these approvals are formalities, although he does not use the term "rubber stamp."

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS TIME

People evidently signed up on the wrong sheet, and Gahan makes the point that they're here for his resolution about sewers and drainage. This issue has appeared out of nowhere in light of the heavy rains in June. So, here goes ...

1. Cliff Staton - Had sewage in his basement on June 26th. Lost carpet and clean-up costs. Neighbors has worse. "Not an expert on sewage," but has lived here for a while. Insurance no longer pays for everything, and the response of officials that it is an "act of God" rings false in light of the damage done. Asks for the city to address the problem. Refers to city council as a "deliberative" body. Ooh.

City engineer (Marinaro?) describes the volume of rain, and flat concedes: "It's not designed to handle it, and it never will be." He's in a combative mood.

Pat McLaughlin (D-4th) asks him how old the neighborhood is. A give and take ensues, with the engineer asking why he didn't turn off his cut off, and the public member responding he wasn't at home at the time.

Others pass, citing Staton's testimony as sufficient.

2. Mike Smith - Never used to be a problem Jacobs Creek that runs through this neighborhood. Has talked to engineers about it. Thinks there is clogging.

3. Nathan Garvey - lives on Castlewood, massive damages. Staying with in-laws. Mostly stormwater in his case.

More to come ...