A petition calling for a “permanent solution” to sewage flooding will be discussed by a council.
There has been continuous flooding and sewage issues in the Harefield Road area of Rickmansworth, with things becoming especially bad when Storm Alex struck in October.
Many people were trapped in their homes as flooded water and sewage covered the streets between October 3 and 4 around Stockers Farm Road and Harefield Road.
A petition calling for a fix to the problem, which has gathered 719 signatures, has been sent to Three Rivers District Council and will be discussed during a virtual Leisure, Environment and Community Committee meeting this evening (January 13).
While October was not the first time Harefield Road has been covered by sewage water, it became the breaking point for many residents.
Liam Fitzpatrick, the organiser of the petition, called the situation “miserable” and estimated around 40 homes had people “trapped” inside due to the flood.
He told the Observer in October: “It was pretty miserable for a lot of people in the two days. This is the second time this year it happened, and it’s the third or fourth time in recent years.
“The issue is simply this isn’t the first time this happened, it’s clearly a structural problem. And it is foul water, it’s basically grey.”
The petition states that even after the water itself is cleared, it leaves a brown sludge on the pavements and footpaths and causes a “health hazard” for many children going to St Mary’s CofE Primary School at Stockers Farm Road.
The petition reads: “Heavy rain regularly results in sewage flooding the Harefield Road area in Rickmansworth in Herts. It floods out of the ground near a local primary school and blocks a main road; trapping local residents in their homes as they defend their property from the foul water. It also impacts a long term care home for adults and sheltered accommodation.
“We need everyone responsible to get together to find a permanent solution to this problem. As well as responding rapidly with road closures and support for vulnerable people we need other agencies to stop the flooding as quickly as possible and invest in the infrastructure which is failing.”
The council meeting will go ahead at 7.30pm. More information can be found here.
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