Groundwater

Flooding is just one challenge. When groundwater enters the sewer network, it overwhelms systems designed only for wastewater, leaving less capacity and creating immense pressure. In severe cases, we use tankers to remove excess water, but this is only a short-term fix.

For long-term solutions, we:

• Reline sewers to block groundwater.
• Build wetlands – like in Lavant – to absorb excess rainwater.
• Seal private pipes with Tubogel to prevent infiltration.

With extreme weather becoming more common, we’re investing in measures to protect our customers for the future.

We receive updates from the Environment Agency and compile the data from readings taken at our indicator boreholes.

Groundwater is measured in Metres Above Ordnance Datum (mAOD). mAOD is based on the mean sea level at Newlyn in Cornwall and is used as the reference point to calculate height above sea level in the UK.

The graphs below show the latest groundwater levels compared to previous years. The red, orange and yellow lines show how the actual levels compare to what's considered as exceptionally or notably low. We publish monthly water levels the next month, after the full month is complete.