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Yorkshire Water will give evidence to a local inquiry into this winter’s devastating floods, where it will be quizzed on whether it could do more to protect its region from flooding.
Calderdale council leader Tim Swift told Utility Week Yorkshire Water could “play a bigger role” through better management of land and control of reservoir levels, adding that it would be invited to give evidence at a meeting of the newly set up Floods Commission.
Yorkshire Water confirmed that it was “happy to accept” the invitation to appear before the commission, adding: “We are keen to work with Calderdale Council on the issue of flood protection and look forward to discussing what further opportunities exist for partnership working.”
Among other topics, the commission will consider whether Yorkshire Water should be more flexible on adjusting the water level of its reservoirs. The Council will also ask whether land belonging to Yorkshire Water could be better managed to prevent flash floods caused by poor drainage, which are a particular problem in the Calderdale area.
The role of water companies in flood defences across the country is currently up for discussion. Ofwat chief executive Cathryn Ross told Utility Week last October that it was a good time for a debate on whether water firms could play a greater role, saying she could envisage “a situation in which water companies could perform useful functions around flood protection and flood defences”.
The debate has intensified with the recent floods. Respected economist Dieter Helm recently intervened, calling for a “radical rethink” on flood defence including greater responsibility for water companies.
The government has pledged to review flood defence spending, but the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told Utility Week it still has “no plans” to review water companies’ roles on flooding.
The Calderdale Floods Commission was launched earlier this month in response to the unprecedented flooding experienced in the area over the Christmas period. The Commission will consider the causes, the impact and response to the flooding across Calderdale.
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