Memorandum submitted by Whiteshill &
Ruscombe Parish Council (FL 34)
I am writing on behalf of Whiteshill & Ruscombe
Parish Council in Gloucestershire reference the Flooding Enquiry
you are conducting.
As you know, the Mythe Treatment Plant was shutdown
on the Sunday and Gloucester was the first to stop receiving tap
water late Sunday afternoon. There was no warning given to residents
in Stroud District that their water was also under threat of stopping.
Whiteshill's water stopped on Tuesday morning, and I telephoned
Severn Trent to find out the situation, and was advised that the
water shortage in Stroud District was a different problem, being
a mains burst, and that water would be reconnected later on Tuesday.
I found out later in the day that this was incorrect and that
Whiteshill & Ruscombe would be affected the same as other
areas of Gloucestershire.
Also on Tuesday, Severn Trent issued an updated
bowser location list which included 4 locations in Whiteshill.
No bowsers arrived in Whiteshill until the Friday, which meant
that residents of Whiteshill & Ruscombe were without water
for 4 days.
Our main issues with the flooding and subsequent
water shortage can be summed up as follows:
— Why was Stroud area not told that
their water was going to run out?
— Locations of water distribution were
incorrect
— Delay in getting water bowsers—4
days for Whiteshill.
— Burst water main mis-information.
I think that more communication via the Councils
(county and district) would have eased Severn Trent's burden with
water distribution and also made sure that water bowsers were
located in areas of local need.
Julie Shirley
Clerk to Whiteshill & Ruscombe Parish Council
August 2007
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