garden underwater

[KayJay]

hello all,
I hope someone can advise. We have just had a deluge and the drains could not cope. The garden is still under water and sewerage. We have never had this problem before but i'm sure someone out there can offer advice. How do we clean up the mess, or do we just leave it and let it dry out. I' ve moved as many pots etc off the ground, they're now on garden chairs and tables - will they be alright
Kath

[rayj]

Contact your Local Water Authority as it is there responsiblitly to ensure that Drains etc., can cope with disposing of sewage and surface water. Hopefully they will send someone out to clean up the mess left by the sewage.
I wish you luck. We had problems in the past with blocked main sewage pipes, that then backed up causing the same problem as yourself - they sent somone out to clean up the resultant mess.
I wish u luck - "they say that a little of it is lucky, but too much of it is nasty"!!
Don't let them tell you it was "an act of God" - cos he isn't down the sewers.

[rayj]

Forgot to say - if the Water Board do get funny - tell them you will have to get the Environmental Health out to look at the resultant mess, if they aren't prepared to do a "clean up".

[snuffer]

Sewage

Hello kayjay,

Don't get me started on drain problems. We have had the same trouble for years. Every time the main sewer was blocked or,as was more often the case, just struggling to cope with the amount of rain, sewage would come up through our drains. Fortunately (and this may be of some consolation to you) it was so diluted by all the water that it never caused any long term problems for the garden. It wasn't so much the sewage that bothered me more the chemicals and bleaches that might have been present.

Allthough the water authority were always good about clearing the blockage,on the few occasions that there was one, and cleaning up, they have never done anything to alleviate the problem of the drains not being able to cope with the amount of rain, (costs money).

We eventually sorted the problem by fitting a non return valve to the drain. It lets waste flow away but will not allow it to come back if the sewers are full. The only down side to this is that when the valve is being held shut by the pressure of the waste in the sewer (that would normally be pouring out onto our garden) we cannot discharge any waste into the sewers. Fortunately, as soon as the levels in the main sewer start to drop the valve will allow our waste to pass through it.

It should come as no surprise that we had to fund the work ourselves. Luckily we only had to buy the materials as i was able to do the work myself.

If the problem is likely to re-occur I would definitely reccomend fitting one. Unfortunately, I can't remember what it is called (we call it 'the S%%T flap') or where we got it from. Try a google - non return valve.

[KayJay]

Thanks for your replies.
The local highway division came out to sort out the drains. I cannot praise them enough- they where there until 11pm sunday evening clearing the drains. They must have had a horrendous day.
All water gone this morning. I hope the remaining slime will dry off without too much ill effect.
Thanks, Kath

[rayj]

You could always bag it up and sell it!!

[zazen999]

I'm glad it was sorted for you.

I didn't post this yesterday but every time I see this post I read 'garden underwear'.

[seasprout]

Jaykay, make sure you wash your hands well after every gardening spell for the foreseeable future.