We have received this press release from South West Water which will explain the work to be done in the WaterShed Project over the months to come;
Innovative scheme to reduce sewer flooding in Aveton Gifford
Work is due to start on Monday (8 February) on an innovative scheme to reduce sewer flooding in the South Hams village of Aveton Gifford. South West Water has been working with the parish council, the school and local residents to reduce the amount of surface water entering the combined sewer. Water flowing off roofs, hard-standings and other impermeable areas has in the past overloaded the sewerage network and caused it to overflow.
The WaterShed Aveton Gifford scheme will provide a new surface water pipe to take rain water from the school, the car park and the Memorial Hall and direct it into the stream. This will remove around 25 per cent of the surface water and return capacity to the sewerage network, reducing sewer overflows and pollution. Under the scheme a 14 metre long swale – or planted ditch – will convey water across the grassy area behind the Memorial Hall. This will filter and slow the rain water before it flows into the stream, as well as providing a wildlife habitat and additional drainage for that area.
Around 40 households will be offered a free downpipe disconnection using sustainable drainage methods to reuse or store water in the garden.
The project is working with the school to build landscaping features like planters which store water on site. These works are likely to be completed during the summer holidays.
South West Water Flood Risk Manager, Richard Behan, said : “There are many innovative and low-cost ways we can reduce flooding and pollution and this project in Aveton Gifford is a good example of what can be done. Often what we need to do to alleviate sewer flooding is reduce the volume of water going into the combined sewer for a short period when the rainfall is at its most intense. This scheme will enable the sewerage network in the village to operate as it should without overflowing, and we hope this will remove the incidence of sewer flooding in the village.”
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SWW plans to start work on building the surface water pipe and swale on Monday 8 February.
They will start behind the Memorial Hall during the week of 8-12 February and only work in the road during half term week. There will be two-way traffic lights in place during the week of February 15-19 and our aim is to remove these before term re-starts. We aim to have all works completed by 26 February.