James Wild MP has inspected the progress on new investments in Burnham Market to reduce flood risk.
In response to last year's flooding in the Burnhams and Creakes, Anglian Water is currently investing £1.5 million at Burnham Market Recycling Centre (WRC) to help the site cope with the additional flows before the site uses storms tanks. This will reduce the likelihood of flooding during heavy rainfall and the distressing experience people faced with sewage coming up through drains.
Following last year’s floods James pressed Anglian Water to carry out surveying work to identify where water was infiltrating its network. Since then the company has been investigating, surveying, and improving the sewer network in the Burnhams and the Creakes which suffered severe disruption.
During the visit Grant Tuffs, Regional Engagement Manager, showed James the construction work that is underway which will increase the site’s capacity while also helping the WRC meet new Environment Agency permit requirements. This will improve the overall environmental impact in the catchment and the receiving water course and Anglian Water aims to finish the work August this year.
One of the issues that causes issues is items such as wet wipes being flushed which combine with fats, oils, and grease to create fatbergs and can cause blockages leading to flooding and pollution. James saw a skip on non-flushable items such as wet wipes that had been filtered out and supports the Keep it Clear campaign advising residents and visitors to be careful what they put down sinks and toilets.
Commenting after the visit James said:
“Last year’s flooding caused considerable distress and disruption to people in the Burnhams, Creakes, and across North West Norfolk with sewage coming up into homes, gardens, and streets. It is encouraging that Anglian Water has responded to the calls I and constituents made by bringing forward this programme of upgrades and surveys across affected areas to reduce the risk of future flooding.”
In North and South Creake, Anglian Water completed a sewer re-lining scheme before Christmas. This work involved inserting lining material into the existing sewer to prevent ground or surface water infiltration – in essence creating a new sewer within the existing sewer. The lining will hopefully reduce infiltration significantly ahead of the wetter seasons.
Further action is being taken across North West Norfolk, with Burnham Thorpe set to have some refining work carried out later this year. Following survey work, Brancaster is due to have sewer re-lining work shortly. A full sewer survey is also expected to take place in Thornham in the next few months. In Heacham, Anglian Water is currently carrying out CCTV surveys and is working with the local Highways team and Norfolk County Council to look at surface water drainage in the village. A sewer flow study is being undertaken to address high flows in rain events in Castle Acre and some sewer relining work is planned for Gayton and Pott Row.
