Thames Water - December 2024
We heard from Thames Water customers who were experiencing sewage and flooding on their properties. We featured the issues that Tom had been having 2 years ago, however, it still hasn't been sorted. There is another couple, the Collens, who are also experiencing issues with sewerage entering their garden, which is making them worried about their 2 year old grandson playing there. In both cases, it requires multiple different agencies to work together.
We contacted Thames Water and it said it was very sorry to hear about the continuing incidents of flooding at Mr Ford’s home and that since Mr Ford’s case was last on Watchdog in 2022, it has held regular meetings with Hart District Council, Hampshire County Council and the Environment Agency to devise solutions to the complex aspects of this case, with the next meeting scheduled for 18 November 2024.
It went onto say that there are a number of factors which have contributed to flooding at the property. These things include its location on a flood plain of the Blackwater River, and鈥痶he fact that his property is lower than the road, with a driveway that slopes towards the front of his house. This means any floodwater naturally drains towards it and neighbouring homes.
Thames Water said its investigations have also found widespread misconnections of roof and driveway drainage into the foul sewer network at a number of properties in the area. This alongside the paving over of permeable gardens, has significantly increased rain runoff into its network, causing it to overflow.
Thames water said that it continues to work hard with our stakeholders to help resolve this issue and that it has surveyed and carried out modelling of the sewers, where partners are working to install two bespoke non-return valves along the sewer line, to help protect properties in the area from flooding. The ditch connected to the sewer has also been cleared but there is further work to be done to minimise flooding.
It continued that Mr Ford has a dedicated Thames Water case manager who has kept him updated on progress and that it has also reached out to him to arrange a meeting with our Waste and Bioresources Director. Thames water says that it recognises how stressful sewer flooding is for customers and for that it is sorry. However, it goes onto say that this is a complex case and will take time to resolve but that it would like to reassure Mr Ford, that it will continue to work with him and stakeholders to help provide a resolution.”
In regard to Mr and Mrs Collen it said it was very sorry that they have experienced flooding in their garden following periods of heavy rainfall. Unfortunately, the property is located in an area deemed high risk for surface water flooding and is placed where the road slopes down slightly from both directions, meaning water naturally moves towards the property.
Thames Water says its records indicate it has been made aware of three flooding incidents at the property reported on; 18 June 2021, 12 July 2021 and 5 August 2024. It is important to remember the flooding in summer of 2021 occurred when a large area of London flooded following exceptional heavy rainfall, where we saw levels of rainfall experienced once in every 179 years.
Thames water continued that more recently it was contacted by the customers on 5 and 8 August 2024, where we were informed flooding had occurred at the property a number of weeks earlier. Our engineers attended on 9 August to check the sewers and had found they were operating as normal.
Thames Water said it recognises Mr and Mrs Collen’s continued concern and that it re-attended on Monday 28 October, with a camera survey to inspect the condition of the sewers. No defects or obstructions were identified, and the cause of flooding was deemed to be hydraulic, which occurs when our sewers are overwhelmed with the amount of rainfall, which can cause it to back up onto the street or at peoples properties. This was explained to Bernard and Michelle Collen.
Thames Water said it would like to remind all its customers to report incidents of flooding to Thames Water as soon as they occur so it can attend, investigate and record the nature and frequency of flooding. This will help Thames Water to devise possible solutions in the future.
Thames Water said it recognises that this may not be the answer Mr and Mrs Collen were hoping for but unfortunately, there is no quick fix to hydraulic flooding. Thames Water said it will continue to work with stakeholders and support where it can. Thames Water said it has also reached out to arrange a meeting between Mr Ford and its Waste and Biosresources Director to help explain the situation and how best to move forward.
We also contacted Hart District council, and it said that the The properties at Kingsway, Blackwater are at high risk of flooding from multiple sources. The area is located within Flood Zone 3 for river flooding from the River Blackwater and is at high risk of surface water flooding. When levels in the River Blackwater rise, this leads to a knock-on effect where surface water cannot discharge from the Thames Water sewers, leading it to back up to Kingsway and the surrounding roads. When the sewers reach capacity, any further rainfall that falls in the area cannot drain away and it finds its way into the foul sewer network that quickly becomes overwhelmed and floods.
Hart District Council went onto say that it has been involved with all of the meetings that Thames Water have arranged to discuss the issues at Kingsway. It said it has worked with Thames Water to provide as much information on the area as it can, including the drainage model carried out by Hart-appointed consultants as part of the Kingsway project. Hart District council said it has provided contact information for the landowners in the area (Bracknell Forest Council and Blackwater & Hawley Town Council) to assist Thames Water with their investigation.
It said that it also runs the Multi-Agency Flood Forum, made up of parish, district and county councillors, the Environment Agency and Thames Water which meets three times a year and plans and works through relevant schemes, including the Kingsway project.
You can watch the full VT here, on iPlayer, for 28 days - /iplayer/episode/m0025nh4/the-one-show-04122024?seriesId=unsliced
