A suburb is flooding because the sewers struggle to cope with repeated heavy rain.
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald spoke out at a Brighton and Hove City Council committee meeting, saying that Patcham’s sewer network was not designed to cope with the volume of surface run-off.
Councillor Theobald, who represents Patcham and Hollingbury, said that groundwater levels and surface run-off were long-standing issues in the village.
Campaigners have repeatedly cited both issues and related problems as they fight the Royal Mail’s plans to build a distribution centre at Patcham Court Farm.
During heavy rain on Friday, residents took photographs of foul water bubbling up through drains in Winfield Avenue as children were walking to Patcham High School.
Some younger children also use the same route to reach Patcham Infant School and Patcham Junior School.
The Patcham Against Royal Mail campaign said that the Royal Mail planning application to build on Patcham Court Farm would exacerbate the flooding that already plagued the area.
Southern Water has also told the council that the scheme “could pose a significant risk” to groundwater abstraction.
At a meeting of the council’s City Environment, South Downs and the Sea Committee at Hove Town Hall, Councillor Theobald said: “In November 2000, a scrutiny was requested and granted to look at the flooding across the city including Patcham.
“During the panel discussions, the Southern Water waste water manager advised the panel ‘that the stormwater network was neither designed nor expected to cope with the volume of surface run-off and groundwater infiltration carried by the system towards the end of 2000’.
“The waste water manager also reported that the ‘main strategic sewer network was sufficient for the needs of extrapolated local population levels for the next 20 years’.
“Twenty-three years on, with the flooding and sewage levels in Patcham rising, it is clear that the sewer system is no longer sufficient for Patcham’s needs.
“My question would be what actions is the council going to take, as many of the actions from the scrutiny were not completed.”
Labour councillor Tim Rowkins, who chairs the committee, said that the council was responsible for managing surface water and groundwater flooding but not the sewer becoming overwhelmed.
He said: “We have a responsibility to work in partnership with Southern Water to manage the ongoing flood risk in the city.
“As part of our ongoing activities, we’re talking with Southern Water and looking at ways to work collaboratively to deliver solutions to the flooding issues.
“The council is actively seeking opportunities for sustainable urban draining schemes and other nature-based solutions to reduce the amount of surface water entering the sewers.
“I share your concerns on flooding in the city, including in Patcham. It is worth pointing out that frighteningly the types of water we have now compared to 2000 do differ.
“What was once considered a one-in-ten-year event is now occurring every couple of years.”
Councillor Rowkins said that he had met residents, including one who was an expert on groundwater, and a further meeting was planned with resident experts and officials to discuss the issue.
Next week Councillor Rowkins said that he was due to meet officials to review Brighton and Hove’s flood risk management.
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