Pledge to residents of flood-hit village

More than 10 properties were evacuated and about 40 properties affected after a main water pipe burst in Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant last Friday.

Almost a week on from the flooding, water firm United Utilities, which was responsible for the pipe, held a public meeting which more than 100 residents, community councillors and Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies attended.

The meeting had been called to discuss restoration works in the village following the damage.

At the meeting, the firm said they had sent away some of the fractured cast-iron pipe to be examined, to find out what happened and what can be done to prevent a repeat.

County councillor Aled Davies, who represents the village, said he was pleased with how the meeting went.

He said: "It was an extremely positive meeting in my opinion, and I think residents left feeling assured by what United Utilities had to say.

"They held their hands up and accepted responsibility for what happened, and told residents their plans to safeguard the village from any future burst."

Councillor Davies said the firm had suggested digging a ditch which would divert water away from the village in the case of the worst case scenario and another burst.

The firm also suggested pushing a plastic liner into the pipe.

Following the burst, a major clean-up operation took place in the village which lasted the majority of the week.

Now work has started on repairing the damage inside the affected properties.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: "Following on from the public meeting we would first and foremost like to apologise to the community for the impact this flooding has had.

"We have taken full responsibility, and issued £250 immediately to all householders affected, and further compensation payment will be made up front.

"We will now be working closely with these homeowners to get a plan for restoration works to take place, and they have our promise we will put them back in a position that they were in prior to this incident.

"We also want to make sure the community feels safe and have made a commitment to review all options to reduce the future risk from this pipe."

This week Russell George, Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, called on the Welsh Government to put pressure on United Utilities to upgrade its ageing infrastructure.

He said: "While much of this responsibility lies with the United Utilities in upgrading sections of its infrastructure, some of which date from the Victorian era, it is also essential that the Welsh Government reviews its flood risk management policy and does all it can to ensure that utility companies across Wales take steps to invest in their infrastructure and minimise the risk of flooding so that residents are reassured that their homes and businesses are not under immediate threat of a repeat of this devastating incident."

Mr George has also discussed the matter with Natural Resources Wales who agreed to raise the issue with the Environment Agency in England and report back.