It is in the nature of things that basement-dwellers are often the least well off and the more likely to be hit by the incompetence of Thames Water.
In 2007 similar floods took place to those in July. The current leader, Cllr Campbell, was around in those days.
Despite her and colleagues' posturing and the same old 'things must change' mantra nothing has.
Felicity Buchan tells us "Thames Water has agreed with me that they hold an inquiry into how they performed."
Note, "how they performed". Nothing about whether they could be to blame or even the terms of reference.
This is why Thames Water is so relaxed about allowing their insurers to turn down claims: they know the outcome of the Inquiry before it even sat down.
The Inquiry will cost £250,000. Just think how many non-return valves could be fitted for the money down the drain?
The fact that TW fitted 1,000? FLIP valves after the 2007 flooding in the Holland Road area surely means they accepted responsibility?
ReplyDeleteTW also committed in 2010 to a new Counter's Creek 'supersewer' to be completed by 2020, cost £250M. This would have essentially solved the problem of large-scale periodical flooding - but it never got built.
DeleteA 1,000 flip valves cost may be £1M, so a massive saving over £250M there, to go to the shareholders!
And flips do nothing whatsoever to solve the underlying problem of lack of capacity of the sewer system run by TW; they may stop sewage backing up through your home's toilet or whatever, but they simply move the problem down the line to the next home without a flip, and are certainly no protection against surface water, as seen in July, flooding basement and ground floor properties from outside.
This Tory Council is far too cosy with big business. It wants big business to fund the coffers of the election warchest at Tory Central Office. High time that the Council paid for a Queen's Counsel to provide an objective opinion on any Themes Water's legal liability.
ReplyDeleteThames Water and their insurers might insist that they are not liable for people's losses but that does not mean it is the truth.
Be in no doubt, these Tory Councillors will defecate on the people whose homes have been ruined.
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