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 The Surface water Drainage System in Northampton’s town centre plays a vital role in reducing the chance of a disastrous flood. On 9th October 2008, John Goodall of Nene Flood Prevention Alliance and Cllr. David Houston-Roberts, made their way to a little-known backyard of a factory in St. James, to examine the state of a pumping station that is a vital component of the town’s Surface Water Drainage System.
There are two drainage points that flow into the watercourse from St. James. The area depends on this pumping station to clear floodwater run-off as quickly as possible during intense rainfall events.
You will see from the photographs that this 1940’s pumping station has been neglected by the Borough Council, Anglian Water and the Environment Agency. The watercourse leading to its pumps is hugely overgrown, thus reducing the pumps’ capacity and effectiveness.
In 2004, the Borough Council commissioned a Strategic Flood Assessment from Bullens. The issue of poor maintenance of the Surface Water Drainage System was raised in this report and, at a meeting attended by Cllr Tony Woods, it was agreed that a maintenance programme would be put in place to meet the recommendations of the Bullen report.
SO what has happened since? If the evidence of our little survey is anything to go by, you could be forgiven for thinking that our Councilors and Agencies are not taking the threat of poorly maintained drainage systems seriously. However, since the floods in Gloucestershire and Hull last year, the Pitt report emphasises the need for Local Authorities to take the lead in these matters. The question is, since the Council agreed to a planned maintenance programme in 2004, will they take action now they are being spurred by the Government’s Pitt report, or will this be swept under the carpet once again?
The Nene Flood Prevention Alliance has made its knowledge of this choked, ineffective pumping station available to the Borough Council. We will report in a month’s time on how the Council have responded to this dereliction of an essential component for the Town’s flood defences.
Meanwhile, we all hope that the weather will be kind to us.
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