Residents in a Northumberland town are being invited to find out more about an innovative project to reduce the risk of flooding in future.
Northumbrian Water′s ‘Rainwise′ scheme, which aims to reduce pressure on the sewer network by removing surface water from it, is to be rolled out in Ashington.
It′s part of the company′s plans to increase the resilience of the sewer network into the future, both reactively and proactively reducing flood risk to customers across the north east.
Through the scheme, the water company has been exploring opportunities in Ashington and identified three areas of the town to carry out flood reduction work.
Work would potentially include the installation of bigger pipes and storage tanks to manage surface water at North Seaton Road, Morpeth Road, Seventh, Eighth and Nine Rows and behind High Market.
The £4.7 million investment, which would be carried out by Northumbrian Water′s supply partners Mott Macdonald Bentley (MMB), is likely to begin, subject to funding, in 2019 and is expected to take up to 15 months to complete.
Customers are being invited to find out more about the potential work at a drop-in session on Tuesday December 4, 2018 on the ground floor of the Library at Ashington Leisure Centre between 2.00pm and 7.00pm.
Northumbrian Water′s Project Manager, Ian Davison said: "With more people paving over their gardens and less green space to soak up rainwater naturally, our sewer network is being put under increasing pressure.
"As well as working reactively, we want to help protect customers who may not have previously flooded, but may be at risk in future and we can do that through our Rainwise scheme.
"We want to deliver this project in Ashington in collaboration with the local community and I′d encourage residents to come along to our information session, so they can meet the team and find out more about the project."
More information about the project and Rainwise can be found on the ‘Ashington Rainwise′ page on www.nwlcommunityportal.co.uk.