Scottish Water finish study of drainage to help prevent flooding
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SCOTTISH Water have completed a study of local drainage to help prevent flooding in the area.
The Integrated Catchment Study, undertaken in partnership with Moray Council, investigated the sewer catchment area which includes Forres, Kinloss and Findhorn, as required by Section 16 of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.
A Scottish water spokesperson said: "The initial scope of the study was to include all drainage within the catchment. However, following a review it was identified that there was relatively little interaction between the Scottish Water sewers and Moray Council drainage assets across these areas.
"In light of this, Scottish Water continued with the drainage study to model our waste water network and assess the risk of sewer flooding."
The hydraulic model of the system that has been obtained is can now identify where, when and why flooding occurs following rainfall of varying severity in much greater detail.
There has been a particular focus on Councillors Walk, Forres, where there is a history of flooding.
The spokesperson added: "To better understand the flooding mechanisms in this area, we have carried out a range of more detailed surveys across both the Scottish Water and Moray Council drainage infrastructure, local properties and overland flow paths.
"The outputs will assist in the production of Moray Council’s Surface Water Management Plan for the area. Any work to manage the risk of flooding will be agreed through that process and prioritised through Scotland’s Flood Risk Management planning process."
Local councillor George Alexander pointed out water run-off issues at Fleurs Road, Bank Lane and Councillors Walk, and claimed the study was long overdue when it was announced in the Gazette in January, 2016.
Following Scottish Water's work, he asked the local authority's flood team for an update.
A spokesperson said: "The timescales for developing a Surface Water Management Plan for Forres plan are a bit uncertain at the moment. More detail will be provided when the current restrictions on working practices have been relaxed."
