A CAMBRIDGE University lecturer was forced to “scoop human waste” out of his toilet after a plumbing failure at a university-owned building site left him and other residents without functioning facilities.
The junior lecturer, who wishes to remain nameless, says he was told to use a bucket of water to flush his toilet.
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In an email to the lecturer seen by Cambridgeshire Live, Portal Estate Management which runs the building told him to pour a bucket of water into the toilet when it would not flush.
They also refused his request for a prorated refund on his rent.
The lecturer said: “I don’t own a bucket but even if I did I wouldn’t currently be able to use the advice I was given which was to hurl a bucket of water down the toilet.
“Prior to being given that instruction, my partner and I ended up having to scoop out toilet paper and human waste into a black bag and take it outside which is not very sanitary especially for someone who is immunocompromised.”
The lecturer expressed his concern for other vulnerable residents in the multi-million pound complex and is calling on others to demand compensation – which he believes could collectively run into the tens of thousands of pounds if paid.
Residents were left without non-potable water for most of the day on Monday, May 23, as well as between May 26-27.
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A University spokesperson said that their team is working to resolve the matter.
But works to fix the outages of non-potable water (such as that used to flush toilet) led to issues with drinking water, which residents were then told not use.
The spokesperson said: “Our team is working to resolve this matter and we are keeping residents informed of the progress as well as providing practical advice and assistance where needed. We sincerely apologise to residents for the inconvenience caused.”
