In my last column I highlighted the danger of wildfires given the hot dry weather we have experienced over the last few months. It may be a surprise then that I am writing this week about flooding. However, the 2 often go hand in hand. In the next few weeks it will start to rain again and rainfall falling on hard parched land can very quickly run off and create localised flooding.
As a council, we are taking the risk of flooding seriously and trying to do as much as we can to prepare the borough. We are investing in sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), creating rain gardens, wetlands, and other nature-based solutions that help slow the flow of water and reduce pressure on drains and sewers. Our green spaces should act as the borough’s sponges, capturing rainwater and slowly releasing it. We know that this approach is crucial to adapting the borough to our changing climate.
Working with nature
We are also supporting innovative approaches, including the reintroduction of beavers into the borough. Their dams restore habitats and retain water within paradise fields to allow it to slowly feed back into the River Brent. Alongside this, we are working with partners to improve flood preparedness, strengthen local infrastructure and enhance our green spaces. By combining engineering, nature, and community action, we are helping to reduce flood risk and protect the borough for the future.
Thames Water is also preparing. They are upgrading our sewer system and adding capacity. The recently completed ‘super sewer’ from Acton is specifically built to add capacity especially when it rains. However it’s still a Victorian system. A system that wasn’t designed for a city this size or the climate change that we are seeing.
How you can help
Whilst we make the infrastructure changes we need and introduce new approaches to managing water in the borough you can also do your bit. If a gully near your home or business is blocked, you can report it. Our highways team are busily working on ensuring that our gullies are clear to ensure when the rain returns it goes where it’s supposed to.
