THE Army has begun building emergency dams in Woldingham to slow down the flow of water from a bourne threatening hundreds of homes.
In a massive joint operation involving the Environment Agency, Tandridge District Council, Surrey County Council and Croydon Council, the dams will be created in the vicinity of the Halliloo Valley, close to the Wapses Lodge (Ann Summers) roundabout between Caterham and Whyteleafe.
A huge water-filled pipe, three feet high and 100 yards long has been partly installed on the hillside near Stuart Road next to Halliloo Valley.
Woldingham Road has been closed to traffic by police, but motorists have been choosing to ignore the signs today and are having to turn up as police have now taped off the area. Halliloo Valley Road (formerly Slines New Road) and Bug Hill are open.
In a leaflet distributed to homes and in a statement issued to the press today (Sunday, February 23rd 2014) the authories say jointly: "The heavy rainfall of recent months means there is an urgent need for flood relief works along the A22 in Tandridge and Croydon, to protect thousands of households and the water treatment plant at Kenley.
"Engineers and experts from the Environment Agency and the three councils covering the area have drawn up plans to manage the flow of floodwater from the Caterham Bourne, which has already flooded roads and properties from Wapses Lodge down to Kenley and reduce the risk of further flooding.
"We need to create holding areas to slow down the flow, reducing the risk to businesses and homes along the A22. This will involve a controlled release of water onto areas of open land near the railway viaduct, Wapses Lodge roundabout and the Whyteleafe Recreation Ground.
"We are contacting landowners of key areas along the Woldingham Road, near the junction with Stuart Road and towards Wapses Lodge roundabout, to ask for their support in carrying this work out.
"Doing nothing is not an option. Without immediate action, the problem will only get worse, potentially affecting thousands of properties. If the Kenley water treatment plant is unable to operate, thousands of households would be without a mains water supply.
"The work needs to be done as soon as possible as the Bourne is running in a number of locations and will continue to be an issue for weeks, maybe months.
"Controlling its flow should reduce the need for the continued presence of pumps and pipes in Kenley and make it easier to re-open the A22 as quickly as possible, which would also help residents and businesses get back to normal.
"We would emphasise these are temporary measures while the Environment Agency and the councils secure funding for long-term flood relief measures.
"We would like to thank all residents and businesses who have been and are affected by the flooding for their patience and support. We would like to assure you we are all doing everything we can to improve the current situation and prevent this happening again."
