Concerns after Lower High Street in Watford struck by floods twice

Over the course of the weekend, Storm Alex struck various parts of Hertfordshire, including Lower High Street in Watford which flooded two days in a row (October 3 and 4), causing significant traffic disruption.

Flooding is not new to Water Lane and Lower High Street, with the River Colne nearby, but this weekend Lower High Street and Dalton Way had to be shut for two days.

Richard Searle, the owner of Quality Lounge Suites, has based his luxury furniture store at Lower High Street for 33 years, and he says he is concerned that developments and housing will only increase the risk of future floods.

In the past, his store itself had been flooded twice which soaked the shop floor and damaged his stock.

Last weekend Mr Searle was fortunate that the flooding did not entirely reach his store, but he did have to shut his store for half of Saturday because the road was closed.

Floods stuck Lower High Street

Mr Searle added a council emergency helpline in these situations would be helpful for businesses in the area.

But a report from county council contractors Ringway found the weekend flooding was caused by a Thames Water manhole cover which could not cope with the water pressure from the heavy rain, causing a pipe blockage.

Thames Water have since replaced the manhole and resolved the issue, with the highway drainage system working to its full capacity.

Roads were shut off for two days in a row (Photo: Mayor of Watford)

Hertfordshire’s Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who is also the ward councillor for Central Watford and Oxhey, pushed for the county council to investigate the cause.

Even before the release of the report, Cllr Giles-Medhurst was adamant that the developments had nothing to do with the floods.

He said: “This is a location that regularly floods, hence the name Water Lane. That area has always been known to flood; it doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. The county has put in pumps at the footway and this is the first time it has actually flooded since Thomas Sawyer Way was built five years ago.

“It comes back to the bigger question that affects us all even post-Covid, and that is dealing with the climate emergency and climate change, and doing what we can to reduce our CO2 admissions and make for a greener environment.

“Irrespective to where we are, we’re all affected by climate change and freak-floods, freak-storms and freak-hailstorms – a lot of that has to do with climate change and how ‘man’ has contributed to this quite seriously.”

A look at the floods on March 14, 1947 (Photo: Watford Council)

Peter Taylor, the Mayor of Watford, shared a similar view and said: “The flooding over the weekend in Lower High Street caused significant disruption. This part of town has flooded several times in the past, before the recent developments, and this is something I’ve raised with the county council.

“Prior to any development in Watford our planning team consult all the relevant agencies and authorities to ensure that flood risks are mitigated. Hertfordshire County Council is the lead Local Flood Authority and are generally responsible for managing surface water flooding in Watford and across the County.

“My thoughts go out to anyone who has been affected by the floods. I would like to reassure everyone that we are doing everything in our power to make sure this don’t happen again.

“Unfortunately, heavy rain, such as we saw over the weekend, is a direct result of climate change. The work we are all doing locally for the environment, cutting pollution and making out air cleaner, is an important part of this.”

Another view of the flood on Saturday (Photo: Quality Lounge Suites)

When asked about the potential impact from the developments, a spokesperson from Hertfordshire County Council said: “New development is required to put in drainage which will operate to a significantly higher standard than the existing systems.

“This means that new development can usually make the situation better by reducing the volume of water that the development area contributes to the existing drainage system, or spreading that contribution over a longer period of time so the receiving drainage system can cope with it better.

“The county council, in its capacity as the Lead Local Flood Authority advises the Local Planning Authority, Watford Borough Council, as to the suitability of drainage proposals for new development.”