Human waste and toilet tissue are pouring out of drains and making villagers' lives a misery in a Bridge of Weir street, as residents have revealed sewage is streaming down the road every time it rains.
For around a year and a half, residents in Mimosa Road have been fighting to get the gross situation sorted out, with many facing a rotten stench when they walk out the door following a downpour.
Grim footage of filthy water running down the road was shared by residents this week after heavy rain battered the village.
Michael Porter, who lives with his wife and nine-year-old daughter in Mimosa Road, said some waste had piled up just outside of his house, while some of his neighbours were having to wade through it to leave their homes.
He said: "I have been living here for about 10 years now and it's been an issue for a good year and a half.
"Every time it rains you start hearing the plugs gargling and then human waste just comes out of the drains down the street.
"There's been some of it outside our house and it's been happening for ages. We can smell it and the stench is rotten.
"There's an elderly blind man who lives down the street and he's having to walk in and out of it.
"We've brought this up so many times with Scottish Water and the council. We're all so frustrated and just want to see it put to bed. My neighbours are sometimes having to walk through it to get out their garden gate."
Councillor James MacLaren, who represents the village, added: "This has been an issue that has blighted this area of Bridge of Weir for far too long.
“Anytime it rains it appears as though the drainage systems can’t handle the excess water.
“I have repeatedly called on Scottish Water to fix these issues. I have asked them once again to come out and sort this mess and layout a timescale for when works will be carried out to implement a long-term solution in the streets affected.”
Scottish Water - which has taken full responsibility for the problem - said there is a collapsed section of wastewater pipe and the firm is investigating a planned permanent repair to this.
Bosses have advised residents not to flush any fat, oil or grease down their sinks while workers look into the issue.
A Scottish Water spokesman said: “There is a collapsed section of wastewater pipe in the Mimosa Road area of Bridge of Weir. We are temporarily over-pumping the damaged part of the sewer while we investigate planned permanent repair work and liaise with the owners of land where there is a significant knotweed issue.
“Surveys need to be carried out at the location, on private land, due to the knotweed issue and further site investigation will be required to find a permanent solution.
“Over-pumping enables the local wastewater network to continue operating by by-passing the damaged sewer. However, the sewer can back up and spill through road gullies. To help reduce the risk of this happening, we would remind people to flush only urine, poo and toilet paper down toilets and not to pour fat, oil and grease down sinks.
“We will check if there is a blockage in the system and, if so, clear this and clean the affected area."
