HAVING already been devastated by flooding in May, the town centre of Ross-on-Wye was underwater again on Sunday morning.

Following the heavy deluge of rain that fell on the town overnight Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, the drainage system, which still appears to be full of debris, couldn’t cope resulting in Brookend Street becoming flooded again.

Hairdresser Lorraine Davies told a meeting of Ross Town Council that she has been trading in Ross for over 40 years and that flooding only happened once a year, generally in November, due to heavy rain from thunderstorms.

She added: “Just before the Covid-19 pandemic I was flooded by the river, which was understandable under the circumstances. I was flooded again in May when the sewer collapsed.

“But I didn’t expect to be flooded again for the second time this year at the weekend. I am sick and tired and fed up with it. Until somebody clears the drains, from the Prince of Wales pub downwards towards Brookend Street, this problem is going to continue.

“Last night we tried lifting the stench pipe to clear it as the water was swirling around again. I want some answers. Which body is responsible for the gulleys and sewers because to me they seem to be chock-a-block?

“It needs proper machinery to carry out this work. It’s not good enough just taking two scoops out the drain at a time as this doesn’t solve the underlying problem.

“I am totally sick and fed up with the continued flooding in Brookend Street, as are all the other traders around me. I can put up being flooded once a year, but it’s now just getting ridiculous. It’s not just water there is a lot of debris coming out of the drains.”

Members were told that Herefordshire Council has made additional funding available this financial year from the local drainage fund for extra gulley clearing.

Councillor Ed O’Driscoll said: “We have to cope with the impact of the flooding. Yes, this is coping with the symptoms rather than dealing with the cause, but there is funding available for businesses to have flood barriers installed, which takes about a minute to assemble.

This would eliminate the degree of frustration that business owners suffered over the weekend.

“It is recognised that Brookend Street is prone to flooding. If we can help businesses by treating the symptoms this would reduce the time they spend mopping up before taking a holistic approach to solve the whole problem across the town.

Cllr Louis Stark suggested: “The town needs the town centre gulleys to be completely cleaned up and the proper machinery used to achieve this in the first instance.”

Cllr O’Driscoll concluded: “This is a big issue which probably requires a working group to be set up. It’s an issue that is not going away. However, the proposed funding flood defences for businesses is a definite option for the future.”

Ms Davies reminded the town council that the local authority were going to put in place a flood defence plan which meant that certain people would be on call.

“I shouldn’t be reliant on residents in Brookend Street to call me during the early hours of the morning to inform me that my shop is being flooded,” she said.

A spokesman for Welsh Water said: “Our sewers were extensively cleansed during the significant clean-up and repair work our crews undertook following the flooding in Ross on Wye in May.

“However, following the recent reports of flooding in the area, we are investigating the wider network as part of our ongoing work with other agencies, including the local authority.”

● Wales & West Utilities has completed essential work to upgrade gas pipes in Ross.  The work, in the Brookend Street area of the town, started at the beginning of the year and was completed in two phases. The work, which coincided with essential works being undertaken by Welsh Water, was essential to keep the gas flowing safely and reliably to local homes and businesses, keeping people warm for generations to come.

Wales & West Utilities’ Mick Gallavin managed this gas pipe upgrade work and said: “We are pleased to finish this work and would like to thank the local community for bearing with us as we carried out this work.”