AVE work stops up drains

BY AMANDA SURBER

RESIDENTS of the Punteta neighbourhood in Callosa (Alicante) have reportedly been living with human waste in their streets for months since construction of the high-speed AVE train destroyed their drainage system.

UTE is the construction company responsible for the work done on the AVE’s railway. One of their machines plugged up the town’s sewer system, resulting in an above-ground channel of human waste. Ironically, the situation occurred just three metres from the general sanitation network.

 Neighbours demanded that the town hall resolve the situation that has only got worse with time. They complained, “It’s a sanitation problem and nobody is doing anything to fix it.”

Town Planning councillor, Francisco Rodriguez, defended his diligence and pointed the finger at the sewage company. “Not too long ago, we brought the general sewage network to the site and the company, Aqualia, promised to reconnect the drains; however, nothing has been done yet.”

Such a problem rarely occurs nowadays and could be considered an antiquated issue. One affected neighbour, Juan Rascon, pronounced, “I’m one step away from reported the incidents to the Guardia Civil because it’s unfair that we have to live like this in modern times.”