HOUSEHOLDS at the centre of a flooding dispute have reached the end of their tether as water continues to swamp their properties due to a blocked pipe.
The problem lies within a pipe running beneath homes in Durban Road, Beckenham, where the surge of water frequently forces open a manhole cover in an alleyway backing onto neighbours’ gardens and garages.
People living in the road say the subsequent flooding, which is particularly bad following rainfall, has turned their gardens into swimming pools and marshland with the alleyway virtually impassable.
Homeowners say despite contacting Bromley Council and Thames Water, the issue has remained unresolved for as long as 18 months with families saying neither party will claim responsibility for the problem.
Semi-retired mini-cab driver Terry Coldham has experienced flooding as high as eight inches in his back garden.
The 67-year-old said: “It’s ruined our garden, we can’t cut the grass because it’s too wet.
“We put bark down but that’s completely gone. Plants are dying.
“It just gets on your nerves. People can’t use the alleyway because it’s completely flooded.
“It’s an ongoing thing.”
Dan Culver, 30, who lives on the corner of Hampden Avenue and Durban Road, says the water routinely floods his 100 sq ft garage causing damage to freezers and other electrical appliances.
He said: “We’ve been going backwards and forwards over whose problem it is.
“My garage and garden’s been destroyed.
“The water’s so strong it’s hitting my property and causing damp in the house.
“When you go into the garden it’s like walking into a river.”
Retired plumber David Gordon, 67, says neighbours are banging their heads against the wall over the issue and has resorted to putting sandbags outside his house.
Grandfather-of-three Mr Gordon said: “It’s like living in marshland. Almost every morning we have three to four inches of water.
“It’s like a swimming pool in my neighbour’s garden.
“We can’t get anybody to do anything about it.
“Thames Water said it has nothing to do with them.”
Mum-of-two Elizabeth Greening, 34, believes the frequency with which the manhole cover comes off creates a danger to pedestrians as it leaves a hole in the ground.
She said: “Someone could fall down there - it’s an accident waiting to happen.
“It’s been going on for such a long time.
“We’re just so frustrated. Thames Water say its Bromley’s responsibility, Bromley says it’s Thames Water’s.”
A Bromley Council spokesman said: “We suspect that there may well be some sort of blockage in the pipe and essentially, ultimately the owner of the pipe needs to take action to prevent future flooding incidents.
"Normally, the owner would either be a householder or Thames Water.
"We have spoken to Thames Water and we continue to strongly believe that they are responsible for the maintenance of this pipe that runs along the part of the alleyway.”
A Thames Water spokeswoman said: "We have investigated our sewer network in this area and can confirm there are no defects or problems.
"The flooding is being caused by a blocked pipe, which is a private pipe that is not owned by us.
"Most private pipes do connect to our sewers, but are not our responsibility."
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