Somerset’s newest flood alleviation scheme will be officially opened by the chair of the Environment Agency today.

The chance of flooding has been cut for 200 homes in Cannington thanks to a jointly funded £4.5 million scheme which will be opened by chair Emma Howard Boyd.

This is a result of a partnership with the Environment Agency, EDF, Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset Rivers Authority, Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, Wessex Water and Cannington Parish Council.

To avoid a repeat of more than 40 homes and businesses flooded twice in November 2012, a new flood alleviation channel has been created after the old brook, built in 1984, was deemed unfit to cope with present and future flood flows.

In April this year 4 culverts were installed under the road with a flow control inside each one – the cone-shaped funnels accept large volumes of water, swirl it to reduce its speed, before releasing it.

By next month more than 57,000 hours of work will have been put into the award-winning project.

EDF Energy’s contributed £500,000 to support the flood defence scheme, part of EDF’s wider commitment to support local communities and services through agreements, worth almost £100 million, to build Hinkley Point C.

Of that, some £865,000 has been specifically allocated for environmental schemes, including other flood defences in Bridgwater and Stolford.

Other financial contributors included Sedgemoor District Council and the Somerset Rivers Authority,  gave the final £300,000 needed to enable the Cannington scheme to go ahead.