With 100,000 homes in Hull and the East Riding at risk of flooding our ambition is to invest in blue green infrastructure schemes to increase surface water flood resilience.
In delivering the Living with Water schemes, we aim to involve residents and communities to co-create what the flood schemes will look like. This project is modelling a range of sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS) in Bilton to reduce the likelihood of flooding in the future. SuDS aim to mimic natural drainage by slowing and capturing the water flow and holding excess water during a heavy rainfall event.
Bilton SuDS
Bilton was one area badly affected by flooding in 2007. Surface water ran off surrounding land and quickly filled the watercourses and sewers and ponding in low spots in the area. In many cases house threshold levels are lower than adjacent roads or open spaces and therefore this was where flooding of property and roads occurred.
Unfortunately, because of the regions topography, once water is in the watercourses and sewers it has little velocity in terms of flow. This means that even in flood situations, water is not moving quickly through the system to discharge and therefore backing up of systems and localised ponding occurs. Even if new “super” sewers were constructed, which would likely involve significant disruption, there would still be an issue with a lack of gravity to enable water to flow. The lack of flow was the deciding factor in the case for filling in watercourses which previously conveyed water through the city. They were a lot of issues with stagnation, pollution and odour. Therefore retrofitting SuDS to manage the flood risk, alongside improving the water quality, habitat and green spaces is a preferable option.
These schemes are designed to slow the flow of surface water into the existing watercourse and sewer system from the surrounding areas around the region, but there is still excess flows from rainfall directly onto localised areas which needs to be managed. This is what the principle of the SuDS retrofits are. Its providing that storage for the water in created, managed areas so that excess flows are channelled to these areas rather than into properties or infrastructure.
We have been surveying Bilton village since August 2023 and have some artistic impressions of how some of the SuDS can help with surface water flooding in Bilton.
From 25th March 2024, we’ll be carrying out flood protection work by creating Sustainable drainage systems in the grass verges on Highfield Crescent and Beech Avenue
Morrison Water Services will be carrying out this work on our behalf and their working days are Monday to Friday 8am – 5pm. We expect this work to take up to 12 weeks to complete.
Please be assured that every care will be taken by our Contractor and your co-operation is greatly appreciated. All staff will have identification with them, and they will be happy to show it to you.
We are very keen to come and talk to residents, so if you run a community group, event or activity and have space for us to consult with residents on our plans, please get in touch by emailing enquiries@livingwithwater.co.uk
