Pensioners forced to use bucket as a toilet

A pensioner has said he has been forced to use a bucket as a toilet due to 14 years of problems with his sewage system.

John and Kath Grimley, from Staffordshire, say they have been unable to flush their lavatory on more than 100 occasions since 2011.

When it is out of action, Mr Grimley, 79, said there were times when they had had to store waste in a bucket at the end of their garden until the toilet was working again.

Severn Trent Water has apologised and said a temporary solution had been put in place to "reduce the risk of this issue recurring at properties during storm conditions".

"I've lost dignity. I've been out here when it's been absolutely bucketing down with rain," said Mr Grimley, who lives in Hill Ridware.

"I've got a big jacket on, trousers over my pyjamas and a big hood over the top. You can't imagine how that makes me feel. I'm 79 years old."

The problems occur when there's too much waste for the sewage system around their home, such as when it rains.

In 2024, the couple have had to use the bucket outdoors on nine occasions, keeping it away from the home to prevent unwanted smells.

At other times they have driven to family or friends' houses, or visited a cafe to use their facilities.

Mr Grimley said he had previously asked Severn Trent Water to install a portable toilet, but the request was turned down.

On 1 and 2 December they were not able to flush their toilet for 40 hours.

Likewise, they could not use the toilet for 10 hours on 5 December and another two hours on the following day.

"It's horrible, mentally I'm shattered. I've been doing this for nearly 14 years and I can't cope with it," said Mr Grimley.

After the BBC contacted Severn Trent about the couple's issues, the company offered to carry out work.

It said: "We have investigated the specific problem at the Grimley's property and offered to install a new valve on their sewer pipe and expand the manhole chamber, however this offer has been declined by the customer."

John is unhappy with the proposal, which he believes will not solve the problem.

The couple and their neighbours say there are also problems with sewage coming up through the drains and covering a local footpath.

"Children are walking through sewage-contaminated water," said Robert Lowries, who said he had complained to Severn Trent and the water regulator Ofwat.

"It's beyond description really, that a large company like Severn Trent which makes millions of pounds of profit can't invest into the infrastructure in order to make people's lives safe and secure."

The water regulator Ofwat said it had "urged the company to come up with an action plan and long-term solution to fix this problem for their customers".

It added: "Where companies fail to meet their obligations under their licence conditions, we will not hesitate to act, including taking enforcement action where appropriate."

"This is a disgrace," said Dave Robertson, the Labour MP for Lichfield.

"It cannot ever be acceptable for anybody to be so severely let down for so long.

"Fourteen years of this for some people in the village is 14 years too long. It's 2024, we cannot allow people to find themselves in this situation."

Robertson said he was pressing Severn Trent to put in a long-term solution as soon as possible.

The consumer council for water said: "We will now be looking into these cases again as a matter of urgency and we will work with Severn Trent to do what we can to find a resolution for these customers."

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