Raw sewage floods footpath and drains at Tikipunga

Sandra Cooper and her granddaughter Leisharne were disgusted by the massive raw sewage overflow at Takahe St. Photo / Supplied

were disgusted by the massive raw sewage overflow at Takahe St.

Thousands of litres of raw sewage flowed into the Hatea River after a pipe failure at Tikipunga during last week's deluge.

Nearby residents and Whangārei District Council staff had to live with the fact that for up to 24 hours excrement and other matter spewed from under a culvert lid onto the Takahe St footpath. From one side, the spill poured straight into a creek and from the other into an already choked stormwater drain.

The raw sewage and surface water would have got into waterways feeding the Hatea River, a council spokeswoman said. The sewerage network around Takahe St Reserve and nearby streets was a historical problem area because the infiltration of stormwater created too much volume.

Recently, $500,000 was spent on an upgrade to minimise the problem further upstream. Another $200,000 of work is planned this summer on a new pipeline to take sewage directly to the Hatea storage tank, bypassing the Takahe St area.

Council staff put tape and road cones around the spillage pooling on the road last Thursday morning but by mid-afternoon the contaminated puddle was much larger than the taped-off area.

Sandra Cooper said the kerb-side stormwater sump was often unable to cope with surface water because its grate was blocked by fallen oak leaves and other debris.

On Thursday, mixed in with that thick blanket of sodden debris was a mash of ''disgusting'' material from the sewer.

Raw sewage spills over footpath, into the stormwater system and a creek. Photo / Supplied

Despite dilution by constant heavy rain, the vicinity around the bubbling mess stank to high heaven, Cooper said.

''I know this is exceptionally heavy rain but it's happened quite regularly. It's just disgusting. Fixing it should be a council priority. There are quite a few people who walk down there. I walk my dog there every day, and children play there.''

The first time Cooper complained to the council about the stormwater grate being blocked with autumn leaves was back in April when she was new to the neighbourhood.

The council spokeswoman said the area was bombed with disinfectant after such events.

Northland Regional Council and Northland District Health Board were informed of the sewage spill.