Knightswood residents call for action after severe flooding

Rotherwood Avenue became submerged in sewer water due to torrential rain on Monday evening  –  with tenants now demanding Scotland's water supplier takes preventative action.

Mary Tighe, who lives on the street, was left panicked as flood water reached the top of her doorstep.

The 73-year-old said: “We were in a bit of a crisis at the weekend, but this has been happening for more than 30 years. There’s a lot that Scottish Water should be doing, but they aren’t.

“It’s very upsetting. We’re in our 70s and 80s, the man living next to me is coming up for 90-years-old, but we feel like they’re just not bothering to help us.

“We’re crying out for help. I’m at my wits’ end. I was terrified in case it got into my house, because it came up to the step outside my door.”

Rotherwood Avenue resident Mary Tighe, 73, who was left panicked after the flooding. Credit: Gordon Terris

The resident explained how the area has been subject to flooding for decades, but water levels reached further along the street on Monday than on previous occasions.

She expressed frustration over previous attempts to contact Scottish Water and Glasgow City Council, both partners in the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnerships (MGSDP), for action to be taken.

The MGSDP is made up of nine different organisations, all dealing with the sewerage and drainage network, and covers seven local authorities.

Mrs Tighe added: “You have to ask the water board to come out to do this, that and the next thing – and the council aren’t much better.

“It’s getting worse and it’ll happen again if nothing is done. These people in higher places need to get their finger out and help the people here.

“We had to phone the fire department from Govan. They did a wonderful job and were absolutely amazing. I don’t know where I’d have been without them.”

Another elderly tenant told the Glasgow Times how they started a petition for action to be taken after moving to Rotherwood Avenue 35 years ago.

The 74-year-old, who did not wish to be named, said: “The water only went under the house at that point, but it slowly got worse and worse.

“A few years ago, the water came into the house and it was up to my knees. It went into my living room, kitchen and bathroom – I had to throw so many things out.

“Many years ago, someone went down the sewer and removed a lot of things from it which seemed to ease the problem. I just want someone to do something.

“It’s terrifying. I cry, I’m ill thinking about it and I can’t get it out of my head. It’s a nightmare.

“If I’m out and about and it starts to rain, I get into a state because I think, ‘Oh God, what if the street starts to flood?’.

The resident measured 16 and a half inches of flood water outside their door on Monday evening.

Flood guards have been provided to some homes at risk of flooding in the area, but the tenant expressed concern over their efficacy in severe circumstances.

They said: “If the water goes any higher than it was at the weekend, then I don’t think the flood guards will do anything at all.

“All my stuff is on top of my couch. There’s nothing left on the floor. It’s not a way to live – and not a way to end your days.

“These companies don’t realise the emotion and the fear that we have. My 90-year-old neighbour is crying to me on the phone – she’s terrified.

“They’ve had such a long time to fix these problems, so I don’t understand why they haven’t done something about it.

"I'd get on my knees and plead for them to do something."

They added: “If I hear it raining during the night, I’ll wake up and look out of the window to make sure it’s not flooding again.

“It’s completely taken my confidence away. We’re all so paranoid about the drains that we’ve actually gone out ourselves and cleaned them.

“It’s affected my health. I’m in my old age now; I just want to be able to sleep. I don’t want to live in fear anymore, but that’s what we do. We live in fear.”

Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Many parts of the country recently experienced extreme rainfall and thunderstorms. The level and intensity of these rainfall events in some areas was well in excess of what our sewer network is designed to accommodate.

“Drainage systems – including sewers, culverted watercourses and road drains – are often temporarily unable to cope with the volume of surface water they receive in a very short period from land, buildings, footpaths and roadways. This has resulted in flooding affecting many communities.

“Local teams have been responding to a high number of incidents of reported sewer flooding. We are working hard to provide support for customers as quickly as we can where sewer flooding has occurred, prioritising the most severe cases where there is impact in people’s homes.”

They added: “We are planning a clean-up of the affected gardens, footpaths and roads and will undertake investigations in this area to confirm our infrastructure is working as it should and determine if any further work is needed. We understand how distressing flooding is for people.                 

“Scottish Water is aware of the repeated and sometimes extensive external sewer flooding at this location and we are currently undertaking a detailed study across the north of Glasgow sewer network. 

“This study is to identify potential engineering solutions to reduce the risk and frequency of sewer flooding in particular, and flooding generally. At this time we are unable to confirm details of any potential solution and timescales for delivery.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “We have been working with Scottish Water to identify measures which could assist in reducing flood risk within this area of Knightswood.

“While Scottish Water has been focusing on their on-going Dalmuir Strategy, we have also been developing plans that target drainage issues along Rotherwood Avenue.

“Part of our work is to ensure these plans are compatible with the work being undertaken by Scottish Water so that the overall scheme is as effective as possible.

“We hope to break ground on the work for Rotherwood Avenue in the coming year with funding for the project coming from the City Deal.”