Flooding review group recommends fresh look at emergency planning and asset vulnerability
The Water UK Flooding Review Group has published Part 1 of its report the industry's response to the summer floods of 2007.
Phase 1 of the review examined the emergency response to the unprecendented events of June and July 2007.
Review Group members have received evidence from involved and interested parties on issues including the industry's preparedness, communications, and mutual aid. Accordingly the recommendations are aimed primarily at the water industry and wider water sector.
The two key recommendations are that water companies should:
• put in hand a thorough review of their emergency response and contingency plans on the assumption that the scale of future floods may make current plans inadequate; and
• take a fresh look at the potential vulnerability of key assets, including the risks from other utility service failures.
Longer-term issues
The Group is now engaged in Phase 2 of the review which looks at wider policy matters. In this phase longer-term issues take centre stage including:
• the potential vulnerability of infrastructure and services to climate change;
• rising public expectations about the reliability of supply and reduced risk;
• responsibility for flood prevention and remediation.
