Inhabitants of Rippingale, a village close to Bourne in Lincolnshire, are expressing growing concerns as winter looms, due to the potential for increasing flooding and sewage problems. Persistent issues with rainwater and sewage have blighted the community for over a decade, leading to individuals such as Theo Ray having their properties surrounded by sewage following heavy rainfall. Anglian Water is actively looking into the matter and is in the process of planning specific enhancements to their infrastructure.
Since 2013, both winter flooding and sewage spills have been a relentless concern in Rippingale and nearby southern Lincolnshire villages. This has been amplified by records of significant rainfall, causing residents like Chris Petz to highlight the predictability of drains overflowing. Anglian Water, which supplies a majority of Lincolnshire, was handed a £62m fine in September due to excessive sewage spills and has received directions from Ofwat to implement improvements.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has received an official grievance from the village inhabitants. CCW representative, Steve Grebby, insists on a fundamental transformation in sewage handling, underlining the requirement to remove rainwater from the system and the need for concerted efforts from public and private bodies. This includes collaboration with the Environment Agency, local councils and landowners.
Local resident, Liz Rowledge, expressed the recurrent flooding situation as terrible, recollecting instances when the entire village went underwater, with rubbish bins floating amidst the floodwaters. Anglian Water reassures the community that measures are in place to address these drain issues and plans to keep the local council regularly updated on the progress. The company recognises that a solution to the flooding requires cooperative efforts from several organisations and stakeholders.
This story is a revised version of the original article published on www.bbc.com, as shared by The Lincoln Post.
