Fire Brigade stepped in to protect water supply for 50,000 homes
On the one-year anniversary of Storm Desmond’s record-breaking rainfall, Caroline Russell questioned the flood resilience of London utilities and critical infrastructure after discovering the London Fire Brigade spent 6,870 hours protecting a Croydon water treatment works.
To prevent the water supply to 50,000 homes being contaminated the Fire Brigade had to step in, at their own cost, to protect Kenley Water Treatment Works in 2014.
Through questioning the London Fire Brigade Commissioner, Ron Dobson, Caroline Russell discovered the extent of the work done by Fire Brigade. [1]
The London Fire Brigade Commissioner, Ron Dobson said: “The ability of Fire and Rescue Services and other Emergency Services to claim back their costs in those circumstances [referring to Kenley Water Treatment Works in Croydon] is what needs to be reviewed, because we were prevented from claiming back any costs in that instance.” [2]
Caroline Russell, Green Party Member of the London Assembly, said:
“People think of flooding risk as rivers bursting their banks but this morning Islington’s Upper Street was underwater from a burst water main.
“Flooding can be caused by a variety of factors that pose serious risks to Londoners both in terms of the distress caused when homes are flooded homes and disruption to transport and supply of utilities.
“If water, electricity and other critical service providers in London fail to have adequate flood emergency procedures in place, the London Fire Brigade should have the powers to recover costs when they are forced to step in and prevent avoidable situations from turning into catastrophes for Londoners. A new financial liability on them would be a real incentive.
“Given the growing risks and consequences of torrential rain and surface water flooding in London, the Mayor needs to carry out a review of powers that prevents the London Fire Brigade from recovering costs from critical asset providers in London, when they already have these powers outside of London”
Notes to editors
[1] Question 469 From Caroline Russell AM (Green Party Group)
Protecting critical infrastructure With reference to your response to my question 468 on flood resilience, what needs to be done to ensure that utility and critical infrastructure providers have effective systems in place to protect their infrastructure so that the time and support that the London Fire Brigade has to provide is reduced compared to the incident at Kenley Water Treatment Works?
[2] The London Fire Brigade spent 6,870 hours protecting the Kenley Water Treatment Works in Croydon (which supplies almost 50,000 homes with drinking water) from becoming contaminated during the heavy rainfall over a 25 day period between February and March 2014. Information was obtained from LFEPA.