Flood prevention scheme on Jarrow estate wins a national award

Northumbrian Water’s Northumbria Integrated Drainage Partnership (NIDP) - which works in partnership with local authorities to reduce the risk of flooding and implement sustainable drainage - won in the Working in Partnership category at the Flood & Coast Awards event.

One of NIDP’s major projects is on the Fellgate Estate, Jarrow, where a series of holding ponds have been created to control sudden influxes of rain water.

It is part of a 10-year programme of work planned in areas at risk of flooding in the region.

Working with local authorities and people means better community and environmental solutions can be found - including better facilities and recreation areas, and habitat creation.

Richard Robinson from the Environment Agency in the North East said: “We are immensely proud of the pioneering partnership work we do in the North East.

“From the concept some five years ago, all the partners have strived to make it successful.

“This award is recognition of all that hard work.

“The judges were impressed with the depth and breadth of the partnership, and a number of other organisations around the country have asked to know more about it and how we make it work.”

Richard Warneford, wastewater director at Northumbrian Water, added: “Flooding doesn’t know boundaries that people put in place between agencies or authorities.

“It is something that can affect any of us across the region, so we stand a far better chance of dealing with the problem as a partnership than we do working individually.”