Work to install a massive 2.6m diameter sewer in Hellesdon Road in January 2009. Anglian Water insists recent flooding problems are not being caused by the work. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY.

Anglian Water has apologised to residents living in a flood-blighted area of west Norwich.

The Hellesdon Road flooding was featured in the Evening News in January 2009.

People living in Hellesdon Road have been suffering various flooding problems for about 30 years and Anglian Water spent £4.7m to install a new sewer there in September 2008.

But heavy rain this summer has left residents with raw sewage and sanitary products on their property once flood waters had subsided.

One angry resident, Graham Sole, is convinced the upsetting situation keeps happening because the £4.7m project is not working.

But Anglian Water spokesman Antony Innes insists the recent flooding has been because of the heavy rain.

He said: “We are very sorry for the distress caused to residents on Hellesdon Road, Norwich, by flooding following very heavy storms in early August.

“This exceptional and very intense rainfall overwhelmed the drains, causing flooding across much of our region.

“Engineers worked with residents to clean up after these latest floods, and we’re continuing to work on a long-term resolution to the two problems of surface water and sewer flooding in the area.”

Mr Innes said a non-return valve has been installed to prevent a recurrence of the flooding and that earlier this year Anglian Water carried out work which saw six tonnes of silt removed from sewers in the area.

He added: “We are aware of a history of issues locally and are in the process of undertaking a detailed survey of the whole network serving this area.

“The local sewerage network is designed to carry foul water only, and this survey should help us understand where surface water is getting into the network.”

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