“As we explained in April, 2007 was completely different.
We have just suffered two very dry winters so the ground is soaking a heck of lot more water up. The rain we have had today, although very heavy in parts is nothing like the rain in 2007.”

“The flooding in 2007 in many areas of Hull wasn't caused by tidal or rivers over topping their banks, it was (1) down to a pumping station working under capacity not clearing the over burdened drainage system and lifting the surface water into the river - something assurances have been made that has been since rectified and (2) over flowing aquifers with water coming up from underground due to the natural chalk layer that runs under the Humber and the city - you might remember the stories of properties with previously dry ancient natural springs popping up in the middle of lawns.

As flossyflathat has said dry winters coupled with increased extraction from boreholes has meant the ground water is much lower than usual so any surplus rain over none hardstanding is being soaked into the ground.”

“E_Badger....... 'As flossyflathat has said dry winters coupled with increased extraction from boreholes has meant the ground water is much lower than usual so any surplus rain over none hardstanding is being soaked into the ground."

Please let me counteract that with the following facts! In 2007 we hardly had any rain throughout January Feburary, March and April but May had 50mm of rain in total! June on the otherhand had 2 torrentail downpours on the 15th 65mm and the 25th 50 mm! Comparing those figures to the rainfall we have had this year, it has been wetter this year than the first 7 months of 2007. So to compare those figures together, the water table now, should be higher than in 2007. So in effect, we should have localised flooding, but we are not. WHY? The Sewerage Undertaker was fined by the Environment Agency for pumping raw sewerage into the Humber in March 2007, but taking into account we only had a total of 4mm of rain for the month, it isn't hard to understand the sewerage undertaker, seemed to be breaking the rules.. The sewerage undertaker, made a flippant excuse, in writing, claiming that they had to pump the raw sewerage on the day in question because of rainfall levels in the Humbercare transfer tunnel, when infact, there should not of been any major levels in that storm tunnel at all. Now then, it does not take a scientist to realise rainfall has a begining, duration and an end, so why did Hull flood when the water table was lower in 2007 than it is now and why did homes flood with no more than 13mm of rain fallen during the initial downpour! The reason the Hull Flooding happened, was because the sewerage undertaker had a refurbishment programme at Saltend and at the West Hull Pumping stations. The entire pumping capacity for the region was under capacity because of this work and the Humbercare Tunnel was used to store effluent and pumped off during off peak times at a reduced cost. Had the Humbercare Tunnel been kept free flowing and clear of debris, which is the law under the Water Industry Act, Hull would have flooded. Hey but to add more fuel to the fire, we are going to have upto 4 or 5 inches of rainfall over the weekend in some areas, which is 1.5 and up to 2.5 inches more rain that fell over the 48 hour period (113mm) on the 24th and 25th June 2007. So if as you say, it was down to a high water table, then surley we should expect some flooding on the same scale now, surley.”

“The problem is two-fold. Firstly in urban areas the rain never reaches the soil due to concrete and tarmac. Instead if runs off into the surface water drainage which whilst gravity assisted has to be pumped to a higher level into the rivers because Hull is effectively a basin with many parts at or below sea level. If the pumping fails or the drains are blocked the water collects and floods gullies regardless of water table levels. This is fairly easy to understand.

Secondly, for open and farm land ... the first part of this year and previous months were very dry, this meant that the surface soils were very dry and in some way compacted, initially any rain has to fully wet the upper surface soil levels before it soaks down far enough to reach the aquifers. You might recall the news item where a farmer demonstrated this by digging a spade depth showing the first five inches as saturated but below that still being bone dry. Also as the ground is compacted most of the rainfall never gets the chance to soak down and travels across the surface and drains directly into the land drains, streams and rivers which in themselves do not necessarily top up aquifers because the river bed consists of less permeable silts and clays.

Aquifers were at an exceptionally low level because most of Hull's drinking water comes via boreholes (and some river) which are drained faster than they are replenished.

Please see 2008 report 4.1.2 for similar conclusions drawn by Yorkshire Water...

http://tinyurl.com/85xxeu5

See also previous published news story stating that whilst reservoirs had been topped by April rainfall, ground water levels were still below expected...

http://tinyurl.com/7c96dd2”

“Unfortunately if you live in an area that is surrounded by housing estates and concreted yards, if the drainage fails, you will flood and hence insurers are taking advantage in this respect because they know location flooding due a particular circumstance is something that is unlikely to change significantly enough for them to lower premiums. Consider also that whilst yourself may not have claimed your neighbours streets away may well have put in a claim for flood damage in 2007 which will also have direct effect on future insurance premiums - I think this is also fairly easy to understand, although admittedly seems less than fair.”

“E_Badger! Do you have a problem of understanding facts? The facts speak for them selves! Please explain to me why my home flooded with less than 13mm of rain on the morning of the 25th june 2007 at the start of the rainfall? Far less that had fallen Yesterday! The facts tell the story not me! It is clear from your persistant dross that you are conspiring on behalf of the sewerage undertaker and you are defending their interest. I could reel off fact after fact, after fact, but you would just give further mis-information to back up your notion but I can see through that, as well as, the collusion between, YW, ERYC, HCC, EA, the Government and OFWAT. The Truth is, the people of Hull and the surrounding areas, especially those who did not have their home insurance, were a victim of neglect and not responsible for the terrible mistake, forward planned by the Sewerage Undertaker, who is responsible for not protecting the city and the surrounding villages from flooding.”

“Furthermore Mr Badger! What part don't you understand, from the telemetric data of the West Hull Pumping Station? The data identifies at 00:00 (Midnight) on the 24th June the Humbercare Transfer Tunnel, was fully surcharged and could not take anymore waste or effluent. So where was that waste and effluent to go when the rainfall started at 05:00 on the morning of the 25th June. And to add more fuel to the fire, those liars who tried to cover up the truth, made one vital mistake. They claimed that the West Hull Pumping Station was fully operational at 08:00 on the morning of the 25th June. But if you refer to the Telemetric data, you will see that the Pumping station was not operational at that time and any concerted effort to run the pumps did not take place until after 11:30, which was way too late because the damage had been done. Furthermore, I go on record stating that these idiots are responsible for the trajic incident that transpired in Hessle because that effluent and sewer water that had overtopped and back filled from the Hull Sewer System, should not of even been there. It should of been kept free flowing and clear of debris, which it clearly was not!”

“Bronx45 I am afraid your vitriol is misdirected as I do not represent any of the agencies you obviously have an axe to grind with, but merely offer common sense notion based on geological facts and publicly searchable information. As it is my conclusions obviously differ from your own.

Without knowing the location of your property one can only speculate as to the reasons your home flooded with just as you state 13mm of rainfall, but I would suggest that if the water has nowhere to go it will collect and if your property is at the lowest point it will flood.”

“Sounds like the person who started this thread is wishing for a flood. Trust no-one!”

“No! Not wishing for flooding GCtheDJ! Just wanting to expose the lies we have been told regarding the flooding in 2007. Hey! And we're now being told today that this June is the wettest on record and it's the 25th June, 5 years to the day! April Was the wettest April on record and May had its fair share too. So where is the flooding? 2007 was lies just to keep the Sewerage Undertaker in buisness! FACT!”