Heavy rain has been causing problems at the new sewage pumping station at the Vollan, Ramsey.

A seal around a manhole cover on an outfall pipe has failed, which has meant partially treated effluent and stormwater has been sprayed out into the sea. A spokesman for Manx Utilities said the concentration of effluent was so low it posed no health risk to the public.

She said that the problem had been caused by the huge amount of surface water entering the sewerage system following recent heavy rain.

This had put pressure on the seal, and caused flooding around the new pumping station itself. There had been a similar problem with the faulty seal in mid-May.

Contractors were due on site yesterday (Monday) to fit a new seal but the intention is to replace the manhole completely in the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, pre-commissioning of the new regional sewage treatment works at Balladoole is to begin shortly.

The new pumping station at The Vollan is designed to replace infrastructure, including an underground storage chamber, dating back to the 1880s as part of the original sewer system installed in Ramsey.

For decades since then, waste from Ramsey was pumped untreated and unscreened into the Irish Sea via an outfall pipe.

Under the new system, sewerage from Ramsey will be treated at Balladoole before the treated final effluent returns via gravity to the Vollan for final disposal through the outfall.

A new storage tank has been built under the Vollan together with the pumping station above.

Two large sewers have been installed between the Vollan and Balladoole, running within the promenade roadway and passing through the former Grand Island Hotel gardens.

One sewer pumps the untreated effluent to the new sewage works and the other is the return main for the treated waste water.

Once the new system is fully operational, the old system will be decommissioned.