An Anglian Water worker inspecting the spill at Burnham Overy Staithe (Image: Supplied)
Villagers complained to Anglian Water after foul water began bubbling up from narrow Chapel Lane at Bunrham Overy Staithe, near Wells.
The harbour at Burnham Overy Staithe (Image: Chris Bishop)
Large puddles formed, making the route, which leads down to the harbour, impassable.
Locals also feared the spillage could seep into a nearby drainage ditch running along the edge of reclaimed pasture, at the foot of the floodbank beside the harbour and the River Burn estuary.
The spill happened on Chapel Lane, which leads between houses down towards the harbour at Burnham Overy Staithe (Image: Chris Bishop)
Anglian Water said its staff had removed “significant amounts of silt, stone and other debris” from the pipe using specialist jetting and suction equipment.
A spokesman added: “We’ve since carried out extensive investigations and cleaning work across the local network, which have identified a significant build-up of sediment and debris within sections of the sewer, restricting flows and contributing to blockages.
An Anglian Water van near the site of the sewage spill (Image: Chris Bishop)
“While our investigations haven’t indicated any harm to the local environment as a result of this blockage, we’re continuing to monitor the situation so that we can respond quickly to any environmental impact.”
Anglian Water said while some sewage did spill onto a nearby footpath, teams were able to clear it up quickly.
Narrow Chapel Lane, at Burnham Overy Staithe (Image: Chris Bishop)
The utility firm first attended the site on June 24 and has since carried out further cleaning work downstream of the original blockage.
The spokesman said unflushable items are a major factor in sewer blockages across the region.
He said: “Our teams remove more than 2,800 tonnes of unflushable items from our region’s sewers every year, mostly made up of wet wipes, cotton buds, and sanitary products.
The drain which overflowed on Chapel Lane after a blockage in the sewage system (Image: Chris Bishop)
“These unflushable items cause blockages that reduce the capacity of our sewers, causing flooding and pollution.”
Some 80pc of sewer flooding incidents are caused by blockages, many of which result from unflushable items entering the sewer network.
Investigations are ongoing into the incident.