Edinburgh weather: Major flooding in Edinburgh sees Scottish Water step up sewer repairs

Scottish Water managing sewer works 24/7 after heavy rain causes major floods

Sewer repairs in Granton have been stepped up after intense flooding saw cars stranded and a road closed at a busy junction after heavy rainfall hit the Capital.

Scottish Water confirmed works to repair a collapsed section of sewer started a couple of weeks ago and had not encountered any problems until the downpour on Friday. But following the heavy rainfall an additional pump had to be installed and vacuum tankers brought in to bring the level of the sewer down as quickly as possible. A team will be managing this 24 hours a day over the weekend, it has been confirmed.

Repairs which involved “overpumping” on land to bypass a section of sewer on Crewe Road North have been linked with the flooded junction at Crewe Toll. Sources said it could have caused overload in the pressured sewerage system.

Cars were stranded at the flooded junction at Crewe Toll on Friday

Speaking to the Evening News about the works Scottish Water said that flooding at the junction was “not all” due to sewer flooding and ongoing sewer works. It was stressed that the network has a limited capacity and during intense periods of rain the pipe will not be able to take the amount of flow required to avoid all flooding.

Meanwhile, the council said their gully team is responding to reports of surface water or blocked gullies right across the city and is on standby as a yellow warning for extreme rainfall remains in place. Council chiefs warned that extreme weather like the flooding on Friday is becoming more common as climate change becomes a reality.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Scottish Water engineers have been working over recent weeks in Crewe Road North near the roundabout at Crewe Toll to repair a section of collapsed sewer. Our engineers have been bypassing this section of sewer using overland pumps and pipes while the repair takes place. Due to the heavy rain, we have added extra pumps to the system and organised for vacuum tankers to help move as much flow past the blocked section as possible to help mitigate the external flooding and maintain waste water services for our customers in the area. We are working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council, who operate the road drains and gullies, on this issue and will have teams on site over the weekend.”

Councillor Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener at Edinburgh council, said: “The gully team is responding to reports of surface water or blocked gullies right across the city, and is on standby as a yellow warning for extreme rainfall remains in place. The team also carries out a regular programme of gully maintenance within a limited budget, and I understand this work is currently up to date.

“Any sudden, extreme and often localised weather events like this are extremely difficult to predict and can quickly overload the design capacity of the drainage system. The council will respond as necessary, and do everything it can to keep people safe and the city moving. I would urge anyone heading out and about to take care, especially if driving in areas where surface water has gathered. Extreme weather events are becoming more common as climate change becomes a reality, and this only emphasises the need to make Edinburgh more resilient and reminds us of our moral duty to reduce climate emissions.”