Residents invited to discuss local flooding issues with authorities including Scottish Water at Forres Tolbooth
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FORRES Community Council (FCC) is inviting households affected by local flooding to attend an information event with Scottish Water and Moray Council today (Thursday, November 3).
The utility company, local authority and residents met at the Tolbooth in March to discuss repeat, historic floods in the town - particularly around South Street, Tolbooth Street, Orchard Road, Fleurs Road and Councillors Walk - and at that time the organisations confirmed they were committed to learning from incidents and improving how they respond.
FCC have since visited affected properties, had a public meeting at 1st ForresScout Hall on Bank Lane and sent a letter out to those affected requesting that they attend the Tolbooth today, any time from 1.30-7pm.
FCC Resilience Planning member, Steve Ferris, said: "Flooding is a significant issue in Forres.
"Following recent events, Moray Council and other responsible authorities are undertaking another engagement event to inform residents of our new Property Flood Resilience Programme (Committee Paper).
"The meeting will also provide an information gathering point for Scottish Water and Moray Council to gain as much flood history as possible.
"Advice will also be provided on community and individual resilience to flooding."
In March, Scottish Water corporate affairs manager, Gavin Steel, and then Moray councillors Lorna Creswell and George Alexander organised a meeting at the Tolbooth for those affected by flash flooding to describe it in person.
A spokesperson for Scottish Water has since confirmed "significant" work has been carried out to build better understanding of the town’s drainage networks but also pointed out that there are few quick or easy solutions.
He said: "The only sustainable long term approach to flooding associated with intense rainstorms is to find ways to manage surface water sustainably so that it does not form large flows over land; or quickly enter and overwhelm road gullies and combined sewers.
"Scottish Water is supporting Moray Council’s work to develop a Surface Water Management Plan for Forres which will help to understand what may be possible."
Increasingly frequent intense rainstorms present a significant challenge in communities across Scotland.
Mr Steel added: "We are committed to learning from incidents and continuing to improve the way we respond alongside our partners.
"It is equally important for property owners to have access to information about their own responsibilities; and what they can do to protect themselves from flood risk as far as possible.
"Thursday’s event will provide an opportunity for customers to find our more, share their experience with specialists from Scottish Water and the council - and also get independent advice from the Scottish Flood Forum."
The local authority confirm that, since the last public meeting, it has been assessing data received from Scottish Water to assist in informing the surface water management plan.
A council spokesperson finished: "Over the last year we’ve also installed a number of drainage schemes within schools to ease the pressure off the systems these discharge into."
