Autumn action can prevent flood (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Autumn action can prevent flood
11:20am Saturday 8th December 2012 in Letters
Sir.–I would like to know why teams of council workers in October/November could not go out to clear leaves and debris from drains, gulleys etc?
I work for the Highways Agency, and have dealt with flooded drains on the M4 motorway for the last four years.
If drains get blocked, would it not be better to clear them before the rains come, when you know the leaves have fallen, and keep the drains clear until after the fall?
I think although flooding is always likely, if a crew of workers cleared the debris and leaves from drains before the event, it would help the water to flow away.
I appreciate the budgets of councils have been cut, but people pay council tax for these activities, and the same people have to pay higher premiums to insurance companies because of claims – so indirectly the public are paying twice for the damage caused by flooding. –Steve Ballard, Droxford Crescent, Tadley.
