Calls to sort flooding in Monks Risborough happening ‘every winter’

Calls have sounded for Buckinghamshire Council, Thames Water and other authorities to address ‘perennial flooding’ in Monks Risborough, which last week saw residential roads flooded and ‘waste bubbling up from drains’.

PICTURED: A drain bubbling over after flooding from nearby fields 

One resident took to social media to demand action when Mill Lane and Kingsmead saw a high volume of water “coming off the fields”.

READ MORE: ‘Deep hole’ appears in ‘nightmare’ road after recent bad weather

They claim findings from a 2014 flood investigation report recommended actions “to prevent it” – yet people’s homes are still flooded “every winter”.

They hinted at legal action and asked local authorities to make landowners responsible for drainage from their properties.

PICTURED: A field along Mill Lane completely flooded after bad weather

“@MATatBucks please send someone from your team to Mill Lane and Kingsmead, Monks Risborough,” they wrote on January 30.

“Problem is volume of water coming off the fields – flooding roads and sewers. Huge report on this issue nearly seven years ago – with recommendations for actions to be carried out to prevent it. Yet here we are again.

“We’re surrounded by fields here. Rainwater running off into neighbouring houses and roads.

“Sewage bubbling up from manholes and drains into the streets. Flooding to roads in Kingsmead and Mill Lane. Something needs to be done.

“@thameswater driveways, gardens being flooded. Potentially houses.

“Can @BucksCouncil, Princes Risborough Town Council [and] @gregsmith_uk not make the owners’ of the fields around residential properties maintain their drainage ditches, so houses and roads don’t end up being flooded nearly every winter?”

READ MORE: Hostility to new apartment block that would be ‘harmful to the area’

PICTURED: Water running down a residential road 

They added: “Maybe it’s time we residents started taking those responsible for maintaining (or not in these cases) to court for compensation for damages to their properties, for loss of services.”

A Thames Water representative replied on Twitter asking for full details to check whether a “job has been raised for it”.

Buckinghamshire Council leader, Cllr Martin Tett, wrote online: “I reported this. Response was that crews have closed the road and delivered sandbags. Gulley crews were on route to see if they could assist further.”

Princes Risborough town mayor Matthew Walsh vowed to have local Cllr Gary Hall “look into” the matter.

Cllr Hall was approached for comment.

A spokesperson for Thames Water said: "We understand sewer flooding is unpleasant and disruptive and we sympathise with everyone affected by flooding caused by the recent heavy rainfall.

“The sheer amount of rain over the weekend means our sewers are carrying far more wastewater than they have capacity for and the system is full.

“We work hard to keep sewers clear and flowing well and have a comprehensive maintenance programme which saw a record 900km of sewers cleaned last year, with plans to go even further in the future. We’ve also begun trialling the latest sewer monitor technology so we can detect build-ups of cooking fat and wet wipes in our pipes more quickly, and help prevent flooding caused by these types of blockages.”

A spokesperson for Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) said: "This winter season has seen exceptionally high levels of rainfall and groundwater levels are extremely high, with land surrounding many drainage systems saturated.

"In cases where the highway drainage functions through the use of large underground chambers called ‘soak-aways’, this can result in pooling of water around the drains.

"Unfortunately, these conditions appear to be becoming more common than when the systems were first designed and our teams are working hard to maintain and improve drainage systems across the county. With numerous flooding events after the past few weeks, our priority will always be where there is a threat to property or the situation is making the highway dangerous for users. 

"TfB has received enquiries regarding flooding from adjacent land but is not aware of any sewage from manholes overflowing. There have been issues at this location in the past where water had infiltrated the Thames Water system, but this has not been a recent problem. At the time, this was due to a faulty pumping station further along the line belonging to Thames Water. The issue was fixed and resolved.

"TfB can look into any potential issues with flooding from the land, but specific sewage issues need to be reported directly to Thames Water. The site will be inspected today (Feb 4, 2021) by a Local Area Technician."

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