Memorandum submitted by Colin Newlands
(FL 18)
FLOODING IN
WEST OXFORDSHIRE.
I am sending this email as a result of a notice
inviting comment on the recent flooding which is published today
in our local paper.
We live in the small West Oxfordshire village
of Alvescot—some 1.5 miles from Brize Norton which on 20
July received approx 159 mm of rain.
Understandably it is claimed the storm water
systems were unable to cope with the exceptional circumstances
of that day—except that in our case between us and Brize
Norton there is a hill protecting the village from run-off by
water lying over there.
In fact we suffered this time as we have suffered
in July storms past—most recently in 2001 and 2006, because
our drainage systems for storm and foul water are inadequate to
cope with the development of new properties in this village and
neighbouring villages to which the system is connected.
Over the years I have engaged in lengthy correspondence
with West Oxfordshire District Council, Oxfordshire County Council
and Thames Water to little ultimate effect, there being no mandatory
compulsion for them to act in unison to alleviate this problem.
When I advise you that we are some seven or
more miles from the Thames and the only nearby small brook runs
the other side of the aforementioned hill you will appreciate
residents anger that we should be subject to fairly regular summer
flooding entirely due to storm water and the inadequate disposal
thereof.
Contributory factors are the insufficient road
cleaning services (another matter raised with the local council).
Inevitably in a small farming village, field and harvest detritus
finds it way onto the lane and ends up by clogging the drains.
Getting the appropriate authority to initiate regular drain cleaning
is another small headache. My understanding (perhaps incorrect)
is that this should be done quarterly, but we are fortunate if
we can prevail upon the authority to give an annual clean.
There is a Thames Water pumping station only
some 50 yards from the end of the lane, which when it was installed
approx 18 years ago, was adequate for its purpose, but the events
of 2001 and 2006 rendered it little more than useless.
In the first of those years the village power
supply was knocked out by an electrical storm, so the pumps ceased
to function. It has since proved impossible to persuade Thames
Water to install a standby generator, so we are at permanent risk
should a similar strike re-occur. Last year while still functioning
normally the pumps were unable to put the water through fast enough
and sewage and storm water backed-up around the house—fortunately
on that occasion not entering this or neighbouring property.
I appreciate that our local problems pale into
insignificance with areas like the Severn towns and cities, but
I venture to suggest they are probably replicated in many other
rural areas. It does require a directive for the various authorities
to work as one in solving this problem rather than standing back
until another takes some small but minor alleviating action.
Colin Newlands
August 2007
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