Drainage Investigations – Strategy Development

Recent inspections of the main foul sewer system located within the estate roads of Cambourne, have identified a number of above normal flows from the private connections discharging to the sewer. CCTV camera surveys have been carried out and detailed visual inspections are now required to identify any specific problem areas.

The Cambourne Consortium have instructed their Consulting Engineers WSP to prepare and implement a programme of testing with water bowsers and coloured dye. Teams will be deployed throughout Cambourne at selected sites based on previous inspections to test the sewers and drain connections.

A letter drop in advance will advise residents of the forthcoming testing work in their area.

A number of drain runs are located within front gardens, drives or garage areas and these can be inspected with no inconvenience to residents other than perhaps the moving of cars to allow access to inspection chambers. Should it be necessary to gain access to rear gardens, a representative from engineering consultants WSP will contact residents first to arrange access.

However please note that the investigation works require no excavation, only access to inspection chambers for flow testing.

The works are planned to be carried out during the month of October. If you have any queries please contact the undersigned.

Maurice Gordon – Resident Engineer Cambourne
Resident Engineer on behalf of MCA Developments Ltd.

Tel: 01954 718843 or 01992 526000 (Hertford Office)

Decision:It was RESOLVED that this Council will, when considering future planning applications for residential development at Cambourne, be mindful of the potential for flood risk being increased in the event that the cause of flooding at the Lower Cambourne Terminal Pumping Station has not been fully addressed.

Council further RESOLVED to instruct officers to liaise with the Environment Agency so that senior Directors of the relevant Developer companies and Anglian Water are put on formal notice of the powers of the Environment Agency to take criminal proceedings under section 85 of the Water Resources Act 1991. In the interim, Council instructs officers to collect evidence so that, in the event of any repeat incidents, alternative proceedings can be collected under any of the following enactments – s.79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.59 of the Building Act 1984, s.17 of the Public Health Act 1961. Officers are also asked to consider other areas in the District with similar problems.

Date of Decision: 22/04/2010

This ought to help to bring pressure to get this problem solved sooner rather than later, which is obviously good news.

A statement from SCDC said:

“We’re working with Cambourne residents and the Parish Council to facilitate discussions with Anglian Water and the developers to try to solve the flooding and sewage issues. A number of meetings have taken place, and we’re liaising between parties to progress investigations and resulting repairs. A number of public questions are being asked at a meeting of Council today, but we are aware that this issue may take more discussion time than a scheduled meeting can offer, and our Chairman has therefore offered to chair a separate meeting for residents to which all parties will be invited.”

This meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 11th May.

Flood water pours back into drain next to Lower Cambourne pumping station

For residents’ information, if you observe an issue at the TPS please report it to the following agencies listed below.

1. Anglian Water (24-hour emergency number 08457 145 145)
2. SCDC Environmental Health via Call Centre (08:00 to 20:00 hrs Monday to Saturday by calling the contact centre on 03450 450 063) or the Environmental Health Duty Officer via their pager service on 01253 501055.
3. Environment Agency: Report an Incident – 0800 80 70 60
4. Wildlife Trust (Cambridgeshire) Tel: 01954 713500

With the investigation works ongoing the RAFT group is keen to maintain focus on the developers and Anglian Water to resolve this problem to the benefit of all Cambourne residents.

The developers’ Revised Strategy Report, which was developed following meeting on 25th and 29th March, includes a timetable in black and white, including a couple of RAFT’s own proposals, which is encouraging. They have stopped short of admitting liability, but that is to be expected until the results of diagnostic testing are available.

1. E-mail mailing list needed for group members. Please give your details.
2. Press coverage
3. Update on meeting with developers-Weds 24^th March
4. Response from Parish Council
5. Response from SCDC
6. Response from Andrew Lansley MP
7. Questions for SCDC council meeting.
8. Compensation strategy
9. Volunteers please!

Now if you wish to be a part of the group, understand what was said during the meeting, or even to attend the meetings, please send an email to cambourneraft@googlemail.com and we will send all the relevent details over to you.

• the developers MCA
• Anglian Water
• South Cambs DC
• Cambourne Parish Council
• RAFT

Martin Withers for RAFT was asked to explain the aims of the residents group.

There was a frank and open exchange from all parties about the issues surrounding the drainage problems in Cambourne.

Neville Stebbings (Cambourne Project Director) admitted there is a problem with surface water entering the foul water system and the current situation is unacceptable.

Maurice Gordon for the developers explained how the system in Cambourne should work and potentially where the surface water is entering the foul drain system. It is not clear if the water is entering from wrongly connected road drains or housing areas, or even from open manholes. MCA are working on isolating the source, but there are 12 km of main drains to inspect, (not including laterals). MCA have carried out a CCTV inspection of the drains to identify problems and have instigated work to a number of manholes and unused laterals. The work will continue into isolating the problems that need fixing. A sizeable budget has been agreed to resolve the issue.

MCA have recently installed a non return valve on the Damson Way drain to stop back flow from the TPS at School Lane. The drain is monitored, and when the pumping station is full the drain is also pumped out.

The Working Party set up by MCA to investigate the problem has been requested to carry out the following:

1. Make a report before Easter on the time scales for carrying out the investigation and repairs.
2. Take steps to improve the noise and disturbance from the tankers when used, or implement different solutions.
3. Improve the clean up service being provided if there is another flood.

Q. Can the TPS take further development in Cambourne?
A. There are two rising mains in the TPS 200mm and 350mm. They are using the 200mm currently, which should be capable of handling the foul sewage if there were no run off water infiltration (Anglian Water are to confirm number of dwellings it is capable of taking). They cannot use the larger pipe as Uttons Drove is unable to take it until it has been upgraded. Using the larger pipe would only mitigate the problem not resolve it.

MCA are to report the results of a meeting to be held tomorrow
No one is taking responsibility for damage to resident’s property.
Residents are not able to insure their belongings due to the flooding history.