Out of Sight, Out of Mind Britain's sewers- once the best system in the world -are now collapsing daily. Holes big enough to swallow a double-decker bus are appearing throughout the country as sewers cave in through old age and lack of maintenance. The collapses pose a real threat to both safety and public health, as well as causing major disruption in the worst hit cities. It has been estimated that it could cost £4,000-million to replace the ailing system, yet the water authorities do not have the cash to carry out a fraction of the necessary work. Worse still, most authorities are only now realising the scale of the problem.
Roger Cook Investigates an issue that some experts claim has been out of sight and therefore out of mind for too long.
Research SHARON BANOFF and TREVOR BARNES
Producer JOHN SMITHSON