28/06/2005 - A sod cutting
ceremony is being held on Wednesday 29 June
to mark the start of work on the Environment
Agency's £5.79 million drainage scheme
project for Canvey Island. Work is being undertaken
at 12 pump stations and four outfalls (discharges
from the rivers into the sea) around Canvey
Island and is expected to last around 18 months.
The upgraded pumping stations will increase
protection from river flooding to around 3200
homes and a number of commercial properties.
The existing drainage system is unable to
cope with increasing river flows which have
been caused by more surface water run-off;
a consequence of urban development.
The drainage system relies on a network of
pump stations to move the river flows to the
outfalls, which currently discharge through
the seawall at a low level. Built in the 1960s,
the pump stations are struggling to cope with
the increased demand placed on them. Also,
despite continued maintenance, they have reached
the end of their design lives. The outfalls
are equally struggling to cope with the effects
of climate change, becoming tide-locked (water
cannot discharge from the outfall because
of a greater pressure of water from the sea
blocking its exit) and blocked with silt.
The project has been designed by Atkins,
will be constructed by J Breheny Contractors
Ltd and is being funded by the Department
of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA) and the Regional Flood Defence Committee
(RFDC
Some of the pump stations are in restricted
spaces and there is likely to be some disruption
to local residents. The work on the outfalls
will involve a temporary diversion of footpaths
along the seawall. The Environment Agency
will try to keep disruption to a minimum,
but will appreciate cooperation from the public
and adjacent landowners or occupiers while
the construction is underway.
Tony Coe, Eastern Area Regional Flood Defence
Committee Chairman said, "Although people
can see and readily appreciate the Thames
Tidal Defences, we must not forget that flooding
can also come from the land. I am pleased
that the Environment Agency is now upgrading
its pump stations to provide improved protection
from river flooding to the residents of Canvey."
Environment Agency Anglian Regional Director,
Paul Woodcock added, "This project is
important for Canvey and will help to improve
levels of flood protection, despite the pressures
from urban development and climate change."
