Wiltshire had more flood victims than Somerset during the worst of those winter storms

More homes in Wiltshire were actually flooded compared with those in Somerset, which were the focus of the unprecedented winter storm damage, Marlborough Town Council’s planning committee we told last night (Monday).

But Councillor Alexander Kirk Wilson, the council’s Flood Warden, was unable to provide any figures as to the numbers involved when he reported on a Flood Support Forum held by constituency MP Claire Perry and a host of experts at East Grafton last Friday.

“The flood problems in Wiltshire were actually more severe than those in Somerset,” he told councillors.  “There were more homes flooded than Somerset had despite the pictures in the papers and on shown TV.

“The major problem – and certainly the main problem in Marlborough – was not that the river over-flowed but the sewerage coming out of the manhole covers, which was really disgusting and happened all over the place.”

Coopers Meadow, in the heart of Marlborough, which has been closed off, was one of the areas worst affected, sewage seen bubbling up through the manole covers.

“This is a new problem really for Thames Water utilities,” said Councillor Kirk Wilson.  “What they are suffering from now is water leaks into the sewer system, and then overloading it.

“But giving them the benefit of the doubt, Thames Water are working as quickly as they can to resolve these issues.  In some cases they simply screw down the manhole covers but sometimes, as a result, you end up pressurising the whole system.

“They are trying to prevent water entering the sewer system and increasing the flow rate through the sewage pipes, but this problem has been happening all over the county.

There is just the hope that they can work their way to a better solution.  They are at least aware of what is happening.”

And he added: “This town suffers as most areas don’t by having a combined system where some of the rainwater and water from the tap goes into the sewer system.  So heavy rainfall contributes to this overburdening of the sewage system as well as groundwater.”