22 October 2008

Aylesbury homes to be protected from sewer flooding

Revised plans to help protect homes in Aylesbury's Tring Road area from the misery of sewer flooding are proposed by Thames Water.

Residents can find out more about the scheme at a drop-in session on Wednesday 12 November at Broughton Junior School, Broughton Avenue, Aylesbury, HP20 1NQ, between 4pm and 7pm.

The £2.4million scheme, which could start as early as December 2008, will help protect 16 homes from flooding during heavy rainfall. Plans include upsizing the existing sewer in Limes Avenue and constructing a new sewer in Broughton Avenue and Parton Road.

Lloyd Agere, Thames Water's Lead Design Engineer for the scheme, said:

"Sewer flooding is an extremely unpleasant and distressing experience.

"More intense storms resulting from climate change are increasing the need to act quickly to protect homes in the future.

"Following objections from local residents about original proposals for a scheme in Daly Way, we have undertaken detailed investigations to determine the most suitable, alternative solution. This scheme is essential to ensure the local sewer network can deal with high flows resulting from heavy rainfall.

"Unfortunately, as with any works of this nature, some short-term disruption is inevitable, but this scheme will deliver long-term benefits for the local community. We will work as quickly as possible to minimise disruption."

Thames Water will be working closely with Buckinghamshire County Council to minimise the disruption and inconvenience caused by these essential works.

Val Letheren, Buckinghamshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transportation, said:

"I am delighted that Thames Water has found a viable solution to resolve the flooding issues that must be very unpleasant for those residents that suffer the consequences.  They have worked hard to find a compromise solution taking on board the views of the Daly Way residents and minimising the congestion that extensive works on the A41 would have caused."

The scheme is scheduled for completion in Spring 2009.

Thames Water is committed to reducing sewer flooding. In the long-term, the aim is to virtually eliminate flooding resulting from lack of capacity in the sewers. Thames Water hopes to move towards this aim with its largest ever investment programme. These proposals have been submitted as part of the company's business plan for 2010 to 2015 to its economic regulator, Ofwat. Thames Water is currently investing £320 million on sewer flooding alleviation schemes to help protect 10,000 properties by the end of 2010.