Following the flooding in early 2014, OFA steering group member Richard Thurston, surveyed residents in west Oxford about their experiences with flooding. This included questions on sewers and the response led to a meeting between Thames Water and our then MP Nicola Blackwood on Friday 28 February. The notes Richard prepared for the meeting covered a familiar set of issues.

• sewage in rear garden:

• inability to use the toilet;

• aving to travel to Marks and Spencer in the city centre to use the toilet;

• unpleasant smells from toilets;

• toilet taking longer to flush;

• sewage discharging into the street;

• preference not to use the lavatory as sewage was flowing into the garden which then flowed into the kitchen;

• inconsistent approach to clean-up – sewage in garden cleared by TW in January, but not in February;

• inability to allow children into the garden because of problems with sewage;

• poor investigation by TW of complaints, overall apparent lack of willingness to do anything about the problems with sewers being overwhelmed by flood water, despite no obvious cause of floodwater;

Richard received responses (including survey responses, emails, phone calls and oral testimony) from residents in Abbey Road, Arthur Road, Botley Road, Barrett Street, Binsey Village, Bridge Street, Duke Street, Earl Street, East Street, Helen Road, Hill View Road, Mill Street, Oatlands Road, South Street, West Street.

Though these issues were raised with Thames Water little has been done since to tackle residents concerns, and the flooding early this year resulted in the same problems with surcharging sewers, sewage in homes, gardens and businesses, and problems for people using downstairs toilets.

OFA has taken these issues up with our current MP Layla Moran who is pressing Thames Water for explanations.