02 February 2010
Source: LocalGov.co.uk ()

Councils reminded on home flood protection


Nick Appleyard

Local authorities have been urged to ensure property-level flood protection is properly tested.

At the launch of its new flood protection test centre, the Environment Agency reminded councils receiving government grants to help those in high-flood risk areas to ensure products selected meet the new industry standards.

The agency’s test centre in Oxfordshire simulates the effects of a flood to test products designed to defend homes and businesses. Those products that pass the agency’s vigorous testing will be awarded the BSI Kitemark.

‘The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ £5m property-level flood protection grant scheme helps those in high flood-risk areas that do not benefit from community-level defences, enabling them to purchase flood protection products for individual houses, such as those being tested in the new centre,’ a spokesman said.

‘The Environment Agency is urging the local authorities receiving this grant money to ensure that the products they purchase to protect people and property are tested and bear the BSI Kitemark.’

Robert Runcie, director of flood and coastal risk management, said the agency was working hard to reduce the risk of flooding but one in six homes in England and Wales are already at risk – a number likely to increase due to the effects of climate change.



Your comments

Why doesnt the environment agency not have a simple less expensive way of testing floodproducts as many small companies have good products but can not afford ?25,000. TO HAVE THEM TESTED AND THIS COST WILL ADD TO THE FULL PRICE OF THE PRODUCT IN THE END THIS PUTS SMALL COMPANIES AT A DISADVANTAGE.

DISGRUNTLED MANUFACTURER IN CHESHIRE, Added: Tuesday, 25 May 2010 01:11 PM



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