Concerns Raised After Flash Flooding Hits Ealing and Hanwell

Campaigners call for action after sewers overwhelmed

Firefighters clear flood Old Hanwell earlier this month. Picture: St Margaret’s Road resident

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July 25, 2024

Local campaign groups and residents are calling for action after a bout of torrential rain led to flash flooding across Ealing and Hanwell earlier this month.

The downpour on Tuesday 15 July, which resulting in parts of the Piccadilly Line closing, overwhelmed sewers in Ealing and Hanwell.

Videos taken by residents showed traffic driving through deep floods on Greenford Avenue and firefighters clearing flood water from streets in Old Hanwell. The sudden torrential downpour saw London Fire Brigade redirecting traffic whilst attempting to unblock drains. Residents attempted to sweep away polluted water that was pouring down roads and into gardens and homes.

Railway Bridge at Greenford Avenue. Video: A Hanwell resident

There are increasing concerns that, without multi-agency action, particularly on the aging sewerage system, that these flash floods are likely to become an increasingly common phenomenon due to climate change.

Ben Morris, Trustee of the Brent River Park charity and founder of the Clean Up the River Brent campaign (CURB), took photos and videos of sewer overflows on Uxbridge Road and Churchfield Road.

He said, “This was shocking evidence of urban rainwater mismanagement. It is clear that our infrastructure can’t cope with these heavy downpours. Climate change is making these severe flooding incidents ever more frequent. Dealing with this needs co-ordinated action from a number of agencies. We call on Ealing Council, Brent Council, the Environment Agency, Thames Water and the Greater London Authority to work together to sort this out before it’s too late.

“This lack of a joined-up approach is causing frustration for residents who feel that the buck is being passed from one agency to another.”

Burst sewer on Uxbridge Road. Picture: Ben Morris

Hanwell resident Robert Wendt added, “This is fifth time since I moved here in mid-October 2023 that the sewer has backed up into my drains, and the third time that it has overflowed the open drains outside my kitchen and bathroom and flooded my back garden. Attempts to get Thames Water and Ealing Council to deal with this issue have failed because each says the other is responsible.

“Thames Water say that the sewer works well in ‘normal’ conditions and that surface water drainage is the Council’s responsibility. But 5 times in 9 months isn’t exceptional; it is now normal and it’s only going to get worse.”

The Brent River Park charity Trustee Steven Toft added, “This is happening more and more often. People are very concerned and are understandably becoming quite frustrated and angry about the lack of any co-ordinated response. It also shows the importance of the Brent River Park’s floodplain. Without our park soaking up water, the flood risk would be so much worse. For this reason, we are opposed to the addition of any hard-standing in the Brent River Park and would like to see the council turn more of it back into green space.

“Climate change is negatively impacting how we live in London. We encourage Ealing and other London Boroughs to adopt the Sponge City principles that have proved so successful elsewhere. To echo Ben’s comments, we are keen to work with the various responsible agencies on a joined up response to this problem.”