A YEARS-LONG battle that started when foul-smelling raw sewage began flooding one of the busiest roads in Barnsley has finally ended after a £2m scheme was completed.

Yorkshire Water’s work has seen a new sewer and pumping station installed on the land near Balk Farm Court in Birdwell.

First reported three years ago, it’s plagued motorists and neighbouring properties whose homes have been living with a foul odour.

Coun Andy Wray, who represents the Rockingham ward, was first told of the issue as far back as 2023.

He said that when the houses on Balk Farm Court were originally built, no drainage was available and they subsequently were not placed on to the sewage network.

“My first real conversation with Yorkshire Water was in August 2023,” he told the Chronicle.

“Because of its location close to a main ‘A’ road, I was told it would be treated as a priority.

“It’s not been a nice sight and certainly not a nice smell.

“Now, after almost £2m in investment, it looks and smells far better.

“Thanks have to go to residents who also got involved with issuing their complaints.

“Yorkshire Water’s contractors, Galliford Try, went on site around November 2025 and the work was completed late last month.

“It did take several years to get there, but I can’t really fault Yorkshire Water they’ve kept in contact following a site visit and I’m pleased it’s now rectified.”

Yorkshire Water said the issue of the sewage leak was not their fault and instead blamed privately-owned tanks installed as part of a small housing development for the ‘constant’ issues.

However, they also confirmed that the addition will help to address the situation.

A spokesperson added: “The new sewer and new sewage pumping station on land next to Balk Farm Court has brought the six properties here on to the public sewer system.

“It will prevent any further impact on the environment caused by leakage from existing privately-owned septic tanks.

“Building a new wastewater network took time but we worked as quickly as we can to get the work done.”

Overflows are meant to act as relief valves when sewers are at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy downpours, as was regularly seen on the A61.

Yorkshire Water bosses behind the scheme said the new pumping station would mean the network will be able to collect and store surface water entering the system during periods of heavy and prolonged rainfall, subsequently reducing the run-off to the A61.

By April 2030, the utilities firm will have invested £1.5bn to upgrade and improve more than 450 storm overflows, tackling those discharging the most frequently, for the longest time and those that have a significant impact on the receiving watercourse.

“There are more than 2,000 overflows across our/ region, protecting homes and businesses from sewage backing up in the network, and we have analysed the performance of all of them to ensure our investment is targeted and will make the biggest difference to the health of our rivers and seas,” the spokesperson said.

“As we complete more investment this year and over the period to 2030, we will see the improvements/ we’ve/ already made begin to scale up and we will continue to report our performance transparently so people can hold us accountable.

“We have also significantly improved collaboration between all stakeholders interested in river health and will continue to work closely with/ organisations/ that want improvements to be made to our region’s watercourses.

“As well as the major infrastructure work completed in recent years and what’s to come by 2030, our teams are out and about across Yorkshire every day carrying out activity to improve the operation and efficiency of our networks to continuously reduce the discharges to our region’s watercourses.”