31/08/09
Following the extreme rainfall events of Summer 2007 and the dramatic impact of river and surface water flooding, the water sector was challenged to make sweeping changes in its flood event planning and operational response.
Some of the improvements needed require legislative change, and the Draft Flood and Water Management Bill should address this.
In July Water UK published a progress report showing where action has been taken against recommendations (from its own reviews and the independent Pitt Review) and highlighting where more is needed. In particular, the industry has addressed:
• emergency procedures and how to respond to flooding incidents
• improving resilience to minimise future risk.
Water companies are continuing their long-term investment in improving the resilience of their assets and networks, further enabling water services to be maintained better during extreme weather conditions.
Water UK progress report ('One Year On') and flooding reports
Pitt Review – independent government commissioned review of 2007 floods
Contact: Jim Marshall
