Acton flood victims turn to Watchdog

Residents frustrated by Thames Water's lack of action

Four victims of August's flooding in Horn Lane and Poet's Corner appeared on BBC's Watchdog last week in a bid to spur Thames Water into action. 

Following the floods in August, Thames Water met with affected residents and told them that to secure the funding necessary to widen the sewer and prevent a recurrence, 30 properties must be registered as flood damaged.  This is because, at £3 million, the cost of works cannot exceed £100,000 per affected property.

Local residents took to the streets, making house calls and ensuring that over 80 people completed a 24 page questionnaire setting out the damage they had experienced.

Despite this, at another meeting with residents in November, Thames Water claim that although 30 households were flood damaged, this is not sufficient evidence for them to do the repairs. Even if the work is approved, it may be another three years before it is complete, putting houses in the area at risk of flooding again in the meantime.

Nathalie Websdale, who appeared on last week's Watchdog, told ActonW3.com, 'No one who has been affected by the floods has been visited by a Thames Water surveyor to inspect the damage, nor have we received the interim measures, such as flood gates, that are promised in Thames Water's customer charter.  Since we lost our home, we have received two final demands for bill payment from Thames Water, who refuse to accept that we live at our home and therefore are refusing to pay compensation. We don't expect to be back home until Easter".

 November 22nd , 2004