Norton flood alleviation scheme will benefit Yorkshire town

Yorkshire Water contractors will divert a sewer at the end of Derwent Terrace, in Norton, into a sewer pumping station on Church Street, reducing the risk of flooding to properties on Derwent Terrace, St Nicholas Street and Brunswick Terrace.

Long standing flooding campaigner, Liberal Democrat councillor, Di Keal, said: “This scheme has been a long time coming and has, for this area of Norton, been the missing piece in the flood alleviation jigsaw ever since we campaigned for the main flood defences that run through Malton, Norton and Old Malton were completed in 2001 at a cost of £10.3 million.

“It will mean that people in this area will sleep easier in the beds when we see the heavy rain such as that which has come down over the winter this year.

“With the changes we have seen in weather patterns as a result of climate change, intense rain has become a regular event which can overwhelm the drains and lead to flooding from sewers very quickly.

“In terms of inundation in the UK there is no worse form of flooding than from sewers – it is absolutely disgusting and a health hazard. It will be a great relief for residents in Norton not to have this risk hanging over them numerous times every year.

“There is still a considerable amount of work to do in Malton and Old Malton to further alleviate flooding, but this work in Norton is a huge step in the right direction.”

Mark Allsop, partnerships officer at Yorkshire Water said contract partners, B Jeffrey Construction, will be diverting the existing combined sewer network away from Derwent Terrace, towards the wastewater pumping station on Church Street, to reduce the risk of sewer flooding in the area, and subsequent disruption.

He said: “A combined sewer network carries both wastewater and surface water flows, and flooding has occurred here previously when the network has been overwhelmed with rainfall.

“The work is expected to take around six weeks, and contract partners will be using directional drilling techniques to lay the pipe instead of a traditional excavation in order to reduce the impact to nearby properties during construction.

“This scheme is incredibly important for residents of Derwent Terrace and St Nicholas Street, and we’re pleased to be able to start the work. Our teams will be working as quickly as possible, so that residents can start to feel the benefit of the work in the very near future.”

Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency and North Yorkshire Council organise monthly Flood Hub drop-ins, alternately at Norton on Derwent and Malton Town Council offices where members of the public can ask questions about this flood scheme and other flood related issues. For more information go to https://www.norton-on-derwent-tc.gov.uk/