A growing number of local floods are being blamed on construction waste blocking sewers, Brighton and Hove City Council has said.
Work is currently underway in Poplar Avenue, Hove following flooding in the New Year.
The council said: “We ask builders, tradespeople and residents carrying out home improvements not to pour building waste into city drains and gullies.
“Our roads crews have seen an increase in the amount of cement, concrete, plaster and other construction materials in drains, most recently on Matlock Road, Tivoli Road and Poplar Avenue.
“This has contributed to blocked drains and gullies leading to flooded roads and pavements.
“Anyone found to be disposing of trade waste illegally could be issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice and/or face legal prosecution.
“We can also try to recover the cost of the damage caused.
“Residents can report any incidents of illegal commercial waste disposal to our tipping hotline, 01273 295063, which is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Voicemail is available outside these hours.
“If you run a business, the recycling and waste you produce is classified as business waste. This is the case even if you run your business from home.
“You can also produce commercial or commercial waste if you work as a mobile trader. This includes working as a gardener or running burger vans.
“Companies must have a duty of care waste transfer notice. This is also known as a duty of care certificate. This shows us that you dispose of the waste legally.
“For residents, the following items can be taken to our ‘household waste recycling centres’
- general garden waste
- wood
- MDF and wood composites
- scrap metal
- motor oil
- plasterboard
- Hardcore, Debris, Pottery and Earth: Six standard bags of Debris per month, maximum bag size 55cm x 85cm
- hazardous household chemicals – must be in a secure container
- painting
…
Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty said: “Flooding is increasing for a number of reasons, from paving over gardens to more frequent extreme weather caused by climate change.
“Whether the flooding problem gets better or worse in our day-to-day lives depends on all of us.”
Councilor Mac Cafferty added: “A small minority of homes and businesses are blocking drains with construction waste.
“This increases the likelihood of further street flooding during heavy rain, regardless of the actual risk to people’s homes.
“We all have a responsibility to dispose of construction waste responsibly. In the case of those homes and businesses that are causing blockages, as a council we will take enforcement action to prevent and prevent this from happening.”
Southern Water’s head of network protection, Stephen Williams, said: “Sewer blockages caused by construction debris are a real problem that can cause flooding and significant problems in our network and even environmental All this can affect our customers.
“We have had a number of cases of sewers requiring lengthy repairs caused by debris, so we really appreciate the support of businesses and households to avoid these problems.”
