To discuss with representatives from Anglian Water the problems being experienced by residents of St Audrey Lane, Warren Road and Pig Lane, St Ives.
(Documentation that has previously been circulated will be available for Members).
Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed Ms L McBreen, Customer Response Manager and Mr T Blackmore, Collection Manager for Anglian Water Services Ltd who had been invited to the meeting to discuss the problems being experienced by residents of St. Audrey Lane, Warren Road and Pig Lane area of St. Ives, arising from flooding of the foul sewerage system. The matter had been brought to the attention of the Panel by a petition signed by 26 people and presented to its meeting in February 2008.
By way of introduction, Councillor M G Baker, who had been appointed to a working group for the purpose of gathering further information from local residents, acquainted the Panel with details of the problems, their frequency and a number of potential solutions. The Chairman then invited the Anglian Water representatives to respond to a series of questions which had been notified to them in advance of the meeting.
In discussing the scale of the problem, the Panel was informed that there had only been one problem reported in Pig Lane and two in St. Audrey Lane within the past year. Nine complaints had been logged on Anglian Water’s complaints system although there had been an increase in recent months. Anglian Water’s responsibility for the problem related to those areas where the sewage and drainage systems had been adopted. However, in the area in question the Panel was informed that there were a number of un-adopted drains and sewers which were in the ownership of local residents.
The Panel discussed the capacity of the pumping station at Broadleas, St. Ives and noted that there were no plans at present to upgrade the facility which was considered adequate to cope with times of normal flow. The system had been upgraded approximately 5 – 7 years previously and it was explained that future flows and developments would have been taken in account at this time. In respect of new developments within the area, the Panel noted that anticipated flow rates were usually apprised and surface water accommodated by sustainable drainage systems. Members were also informed of proposals to lay a new sewer in the A1123.
In considering a number of options to deal with the problems concerning the dispersal of water, the Panel noted that all would require significant investment. In response to a question from Members, Mr Blackmore outlined the process by which investment projects were prioritised and the Register of Internal Flooding used for investment priorities. He emphasised the need for local residents to register a loss of toilet facilities on each and every occasion that this occurred and to make a written complaint if they were not satisfied with the outcome. This would help to raise the profile of the problem.
The Panel was provided with an explanation of “illegal” connections to the foul system which were alleged to be the cause of many of the problems and noted that prosecutions were considered to be too time consuming and costly. Instead Anglian Water would be seeking to increase educational awareness amongst householders and would welcome assistance from Councils and local builders in this respect. The Panel was informed that consideration would be given to the installation of a flow monitoring system to identify areas from which illegal flows were emanating, although this could not be undertaken in un-adopted sewers and drains.
The Panel also was advised of the process under which developers made provision for surface water and foul drainage from new dwellings and the absence of any need to liaise with Anglian Water since privatisation of the industry. A Government report into the floods of summer 2007 had highlighted the deficiencies in the current system and the responsibility for all households to be aware of making legal connections to the drainage system when constructing, hard standings etc. The Panel was informed that, more locally, the issue was being discussed by the Council with the water industry in terms of the impact of the development planned in the Core Strategy by the drafting of a Local Investment Framework.
Having noted that the profile of the issue had now been raised, that Anglian Water would be giving the matter further consideration and that a CCTV investigation of the surface water drain in Pig Lane would be undertaken to see if it required cleansing, the Panel asked the representatives of Anglian Water to provide details of their investigations to the local residents and to provide an update on progress to the Council in six months time. They were then thanked for their attendance at the meeting and the comprehensive answers that they had given to the questions asked.