Haringey Lib Dems on Thames Water and flooding

No one who has lived in the country for even a couple of months will be a stranger to a downpour. Yet, despite this, our Victorian era sewer system is increasingly unable to deal with this routine weather event.

And what is even more worrying is that, as our climate continues to change, heavier rains are likely to become even more commonplace.

Sadly, parts of our borough are once again recovering from totally preventable flash flooding a couple of weeks ago. This can’t come as a surprise to anyone either in the council or at Thames Water, as the same unlucky residents and businesses are hit over and over again.

Luke Cawley-Harrison says flooding in Haringey could be prevented (Image: Liberal Democrat Group)

No sooner have they recovered from the last round of flooding, before the rain returns and starts the cycle of destruction once again.

Thames Water made £433 million in operating profits last year, and paid out over £2 million to its CEO, yet is still failing to sufficiently invest in infrastructure.

Of all the water Thames supplies, 24% is lost through leaks, and yet rather than tackle this problem on the scale that is needed, they have instituted a hosepipe ban in our region and continue to act slowly to local reports of leaks.

Similarly, 2020 saw 18,443 dumps of raw sewage from Thames Water into our rivers and oceans. That is a completely unacceptable state of affairs.

And, of course, how many times have we seen road closures and temporary traffic lights put in place across Haringey without anyone appearing to be on site working, or the job actually completed but it's days before equipment is cleared to allow the road to be reopened.

Plus, the same stretches of roads are closed again and again to repeatedly fix the same leaks over and over. The lack of urgency is not just an inconvenience for getting around, it has significant impacts on our local economy and entire network.

Thames Water needs to upgrade more, and more rapidly, in its infrastructure, or the cost of inaction is going to keep increasing. They must prepare for the impacts of climate change and rapidly increase drainage capacity across the capital whilst fixing their own underinvested, creaking and leaking pipe system.

Lack of investment is already leaving customers high and dry - although dry is sadly not the operative word. A situation where the company’s CEO is receiving a bonus of £700,000 for a job well done, while residents and businesses pay the price of flooding again and again is simply not tenable.

Thames needs to act now, or in a couple of weeks, when the rain returns, we will be in the same situation once again.

Cllr Luke Cawley-Harrison is Lib Dem opposition leader on Haringey Council.