More than 100 Southern Water customers gathered at Colden Common Community Centre to find out more about work to solve recurring flooding issues in villages south of Winchester. 

Residents of Kiln Lane and other areas of Brambridge and Colden Common, including Highbridge Road, were impacted by high water levels following heavy rainfall several times last year.  

Southern Water teams have been working for months investigating the issues and looking at how we can reduce the flood risk and improve the wastewater network.  

Work going on in the area includes: 

  • Finding and fixing private wastewater pipes which have been illegally connected into surface water drains;
  • Carrying out detailed surveys of the entire local network to identify areas for further investment and improvement;
  • An enhanced tanker operation to reduce the risk of wastewater flooding moving forwards.

Southern Water representative speaking to member of the public in Colden CommonSouthern Water representative speaking to member of the public in Colden Common (Image: Southern Water)

The problem reached a peak late last year with residents suffering from groundwater flooding that saw raw sewage spilling into their gardens.

Extra pipelines were laid and for several days lorries were having to pump raw sewage to minimise the spillage into the nearby River Itchen.

Alex Saunders,, head of Southern Water’s wastewater networks, said of the meeting: “This event gave us an important opportunity to meet our customers and share the work we’re doing to protect homes, businesses and the River Itchen.  

“We know our performance in this area must improve, and we’re working around-the-clock to investigate where investment can make a difference in our network, and we were pleased to be able to talk to our customers about the work we’re doing.”