pipe

The sounds of roaring engines, screeching tyres and cracking exhaust pipes are often heard tearing through streets surrounding the Croydon Road Tesco store, as car lovers meet there to show off their wheels.

"When these pipes get blocked, we can't simply switch off the sewage. It backs up and must come out somewhere, whether that's roads, rivers or even people's homes. The consequences can be devastating."

The signature pipe is very much a smoking presence, making Harris, on record as a huge fan of the books, look a little like Popeye.

But it has faced heavy criticism over its performance in recent years over a series of sewage discharges and pipe leaks.

State officials and local environmentalists have repeatedly raised concerns about the pipes’ capacity to run safely, as well as the process the company has taken to try to fast-track their revitalization over the last year.