New government legislation which was introduced over the summer ordered that all water and sewerage companies should take over the responsibility to privately-owned sewerage pumping stations by October 1. Since 2014, a dedicated Yorkshire Water team has been on the hunt for hundreds of private sewage pumping stations hidden across the region. So far they have found 49 on Leeds – but believe there are still more to be identified. Dave Wilson, Transfer Manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “Sewage pumping stations can be situated anywhere; in gardens, on public land next to houses or businesses, or just on the side of the road. Many are located in private gardens and land that we don’t normally have authority to enter which is why we’ve needed help from customers to find them. Sewage pumping stations pump sewage from homes along underground sewers to the nearest waste water treatment plant where it is treated. Find out more about the search on the Yorkshire Water website or call 0345 1 24 24 24 to report one.