Northumbrian Water is moving into a new phase of its surface water management programme Rainwise to reduce the risk of flooding in Northumberland.

Via the community-led Rainwise initiative the water company is working to upgrade the sewer network that serves Wylam, Prudhoe and Ovingham

Rainwise explores opportunities to remove, store, divert or delay the surface water that enters the sewer network. This will help to increase capacity in the pipes and reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rainfall.

Work on the £785,000 project, which started in Wylam in March, is nearing completion. The next phase of work will begin in Prudhoe on Tuesday May 2, 2017 and is expected to take up to 12 weeks to complete.

Contractors Esh-MWH will carry out the work on behalf of Northumbrian Water. Work will include the installation of 40 metres of new pipe in Castle Road to divert surface water into Otter Burn and 15 metres of additional pipes in Maple Grove.

Other measures included in the scheme include the creation of swales,  (shallow drainage channels to store or divert rainwater)and the installation of non-return valves which will help to prevent water from the sewers entering the private drainage system.

Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager, Ian Davison, said:

“We know how devastating sewer flooding can be and by freeing up capacity in the sewer network, we are taking positive steps towards reducing flood risk and providing some peace of mind for our customers.”

“We want to be prepared for the future and are carrying out Rainwise projects in areas that have not necessarily suffered flooding before, while providing additional benefit to those that have.”

Under the Rainwise initiative Northumbrian Water is looking for opportunities to carry out surface water management projects that will remove, store, divert or delay the speed that rainwater enters sewer network.

The water company’s community portal explains that it will install sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS) wherever it can, ranging from swales, to detention basins (purpose built, low lying areas of land to store and delay rainwater) and rain gardens - small planted depressions, often connected to the downpipe of a property.

It also clearly explains the benefits of SuDS – including flagging up the fact that properties near SuDS can attract higher house prices.