... Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart of the Eurythymics, circa 1984:
Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion
It's stopped raining, for the timebeing, and I'm pleased to report that my drains are now running freely. Which is sad. That I am reporting this as news, because because because.
Because this time we had our drains overflowing with rainwater from the sewers from Thursday 6th February until Tuesday 11th February, and then remaining backlogged with standing water until they finally receded on Sunday 16th February. Add it up. Do the maths. No drainage from my property for 11 days. Back in January it was flooding, and, obviously, no drainage (see previous blogs) for 7 days.
It's all a huge complicated pass-the-buck-and-take-no-responsibility-mess, although they take our money because we pay our water bill, and we pay our council taxes, and our income taxes, and what do we get? Sewage in our front garden. Sewage on our rear patio. Sewage from the neighbours drains on my hen patch and vegetable patch.
And you know what? Something here stinks. Yes. My garden. But more than that. The system stinks.
Thames Water say on their website that We have no control over what is put into sewers or the amounts of rain that falls in our region, and the law recognises we should not be responsible for any flooding damage caused as a result. (http://www.thameswater.co.uk/help-and-advice/9782.htm).
Well, isn't that just the best 'get out of jail free card' ever invented? Thames Water have been made aware of the 'flooding when it rains heavily' problems in this area, by us for the past 5 years, and by neighbours for at least 8 years.
And I've passed my concerns to the Environment Agency who said 'we'll put pressure on Thames Water', and to my local and county Councillors who said 'we'll put pressure on Thames Water'. And every time I get onto Thames Water directly they say it's 'hydraulic overload' (too much water) and they can't do anything about it until the water goes down.
But here's where it gets really stinky. When we moved to this area, there were already plans approved to build 200+ houses on the site of the girls school 500m down the road, and these are now built, connected to the sewers, sold and occupied. There is currently building development between us and the 200+ houses for another 20 or so properties, yet to connect to the sewers.
There are plans on hold for 14 houses on the field directly behind our property - plans which were passed on appeal by the inspector from Bristol - which are on hold because Thames Water has put a 'Grampian Condition' on the plans, which essentially states that until the sewers are improved they can't proceed.
My point is this: surely the central/main sewers, to which we are all connected, should have been improved before all the development went ahead.
And I'm not niave. It's all to do with money.
Passing the buck. The buck stops where? I take the point that Thames Water aren't responsible for the ground water, or higher than normal water table, or drainage ditches overflowing, road gulleys getting blocked or this year's seriously above average rainfall!!! I imagine the Environment Agency has to take on some of this (river dredging springs to mind). But I can't accept it when Thames Water say they're not responsible for rainwater getting into the sewers - because they should be able to do something about that, and they should already have done it.
And here's where the money thing stinks. Because the Water Utilities Companies were privatised some 25 years ago, they've all been beholden to shareholders and the promised infrastructure investment has been somewhat reduced and has instead been paid out in dividends. Okay, that's probably over-simplisitic, and no doubt Thames Water has invested millions, and is probably in the broad sweep of things doing an OK job in a shitty world (pun intended).
But it's got a monopoly, which means that I can't change my water services provider, there is no alternative, so I'm stuck with what I've got. Like it or lump it. I've got no choice, and that's what stinks.
I've gone on enough. Thanks to my local Councillor, tonight I've a voice mail from the reporter from the local paper, wondering if I'd like to speak to him about the problems in this part of town..... and you know what? I think I might.
Watch this space y'all!
Kat
Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion
It's stopped raining, for the timebeing, and I'm pleased to report that my drains are now running freely. Which is sad. That I am reporting this as news, because because because.
Because this time we had our drains overflowing with rainwater from the sewers from Thursday 6th February until Tuesday 11th February, and then remaining backlogged with standing water until they finally receded on Sunday 16th February. Add it up. Do the maths. No drainage from my property for 11 days. Back in January it was flooding, and, obviously, no drainage (see previous blogs) for 7 days.
It's all a huge complicated pass-the-buck-and-take-no-responsibility-mess, although they take our money because we pay our water bill, and we pay our council taxes, and our income taxes, and what do we get? Sewage in our front garden. Sewage on our rear patio. Sewage from the neighbours drains on my hen patch and vegetable patch.
And you know what? Something here stinks. Yes. My garden. But more than that. The system stinks.
Thames Water say on their website that We have no control over what is put into sewers or the amounts of rain that falls in our region, and the law recognises we should not be responsible for any flooding damage caused as a result. (http://www.thameswater.co.uk/help-and-advice/9782.htm).
Well, isn't that just the best 'get out of jail free card' ever invented? Thames Water have been made aware of the 'flooding when it rains heavily' problems in this area, by us for the past 5 years, and by neighbours for at least 8 years.
And I've passed my concerns to the Environment Agency who said 'we'll put pressure on Thames Water', and to my local and county Councillors who said 'we'll put pressure on Thames Water'. And every time I get onto Thames Water directly they say it's 'hydraulic overload' (too much water) and they can't do anything about it until the water goes down.
 |
| Rainwater from sewers flooding my front garden after heavy rain on Saturday 15th February. |
There are plans on hold for 14 houses on the field directly behind our property - plans which were passed on appeal by the inspector from Bristol - which are on hold because Thames Water has put a 'Grampian Condition' on the plans, which essentially states that until the sewers are improved they can't proceed.
My point is this: surely the central/main sewers, to which we are all connected, should have been improved before all the development went ahead.
And I'm not niave. It's all to do with money.
Passing the buck. The buck stops where? I take the point that Thames Water aren't responsible for the ground water, or higher than normal water table, or drainage ditches overflowing, road gulleys getting blocked or this year's seriously above average rainfall!!! I imagine the Environment Agency has to take on some of this (river dredging springs to mind). But I can't accept it when Thames Water say they're not responsible for rainwater getting into the sewers - because they should be able to do something about that, and they should already have done it.
And here's where the money thing stinks. Because the Water Utilities Companies were privatised some 25 years ago, they've all been beholden to shareholders and the promised infrastructure investment has been somewhat reduced and has instead been paid out in dividends. Okay, that's probably over-simplisitic, and no doubt Thames Water has invested millions, and is probably in the broad sweep of things doing an OK job in a shitty world (pun intended).
 |
| My neighbour's drain cover - weighed with a rock - rainwater from the sewers overflowing after heavy rainfall 15.2.14 |
I've gone on enough. Thanks to my local Councillor, tonight I've a voice mail from the reporter from the local paper, wondering if I'd like to speak to him about the problems in this part of town..... and you know what? I think I might.
Watch this space y'all!
Kat
No comments:
Post a Comment