Environment

A third of England’s vital flood defences are in private hands

A third of England’s most important flood defences are in private hands, an investigation has found, with more than 1,000 found to be in a poor state and some at risk of “complete performance failure”.

Private owners cannot be forced to make upgrades to the defences, which can involve bills of hundreds of thousands of pounds. The government admits it can only “encourage” third-party owners to do maintenance, though the Environment Agency can carry out emergency repairs if there is a risk to people, property or environment, and try to bill the freeholders afterwards.

Data obtained under freedom of information laws by Unearthed, the investigative arm of Greenpeace UK, and shared with the Guardian, show that privately owned assets classed as “high consequence” are twice as likely to be in a poor condition as those maintained by the Environment Agency, with 8% or 1,109 of private defences rated as sub-par.

The defences range from flood walls or embankments to weirs and piers, though many are outfall pipes or culverts – enclosed watercourses that run underneath roads, railways or other property.

Some are owned by major landowners such as the crown estate or Network Rail. Others run under private houses and businesses, often unnoticed until something goes wrong. In 2014 a father and son in Waterlooville, Hampshire, were faced with a £150,000 bill to repair a culvert that went underneath their properties.

High-consequence flood defences are the most important because they “contribute to managing flood risk in a location where the consequence on people and property of an asset failing is high”, according to the Environment Agency.

Defences are inspected and then rated from condition 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “very good”. Four is “poor”, with “defects that would significantly reduce the performance of the asset”, and 5 is “very poor” – “severe defects resulting in complete performance failure”.

There is no public record of who owns or maintains private flood defences in England, and local authorities are often unaware. To build a partial picture of private ownership, Unearthed took Environment Agency data and overlaid it with data from the Land Registry and other sources.

Kirklees council in West Yorkshire, which dealt with bad flooding during Storm Ciara in 2020, said it did not know who owned the 23 privately owned defences in its area that were rated as poor or very poor. The local authority in Carlisle, which has seen repeated flooding in recent years, said the same about the 30 poorly rated private defences in the city.

Even when local authorities do know the owners, they cannot compel them to carry out repairs. “All we can do is ask nicely,” said James Mead, a flood and water manager at Sheffield city council, who said he contacted private owners by looking on Google Maps and cross-referencing with Environment Agency data.

Some 29 defences rated poor or very poor across England are on land owned by the crown estate, the Queen’s property manager. A spokesperson said the estate did not own the defences nor did it have responsibility for their upkeep, but did not respond when asked who was responsible.

“Where flood defences have been installed by third parties on crown estate land we will always work with the relevant authorities to offer any assistance we can to ensure they are able to access and maintain as required,” the spokesperson said.

Last year the National Audit Office said the Environment Agency’s plan to beef up England’s flood defences was being undermined by a lack of coordination between the various bodies tasked with maintaining them.

With increased flooding one of the greatest risks facing the UK as a result of the climate crisis, this year the government announced £5.2bn to build 2,000 new flood and coastal risk management schemes. Private defence owners will not be eligible to receive any of this money.

The Environment Agency estimates that 5.2m homes and businesses in England are at risk of flooding and that about 700 properties are vulnerable to coastal erosion over the next 20 years.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We routinely inspect both Environment Agency and third-party flood assets. Repairs are prioritised where there is threat to lives and livelihoods. We work closely with third party asset owners to encourage them to undertake repairs.

“Since 2015, more than 300,000 homes have been better protected from flooding on time and on budget. We’ve also made extensive preparations for the winter months, with thousands of frontline staff ready to respond to a flooding incident should it occur.”

Olivia Blake, the shadow flooding minister, said the government must do more to make sure private defences are up to scratch. “As our winters get wetter, the climate emergency will put flood defences under greater strain,” she said. “The government must act to ensure there are clear responsibilities and adequate measures in place so that any flood defences which are privately owned and critically important to the protection of the public are properly inspected and maintained.”

Environment

FG issues licence to construct floating LNG plant

The Federal Government has issued a licence to construct (LCT) Nigeria’s pioneering floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility to UTM FLNG Limited.

This marks a giant leap in the country’s energy sector.

The issuance of the LTC by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) last Friday was part of a major fulfillment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assurance in July, last year, to give necessary support to the Nigerian firm to actualise the landmark gas project.

The President, while hosting the management of the company and its foreign partners at the State House in Abuja, pledged to remove all impediments to the timely completion of the project.

The UTM FLNG plant, which is located offshore Akwa Ibom State, is expected to be completed and inaugurated in 2028 with gas production projected to begin the following year.

The plant, with a capacity of 2.8 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), will produce LNG, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and condensate from re-injected gas at the OML 104 Yoho Field.

The project represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s energy sector, enhancing the country’s ability to harness its untapped 209 trillion cubic feet of natural gas for both export and domestic consumption.

It is expected to leapfrog the national economy by ensuring availability of gas at lower cost, generate massive employment and multi-million naira business opportunities for Nigerians and other nationals.

The presentation of the licence to the company at the NMDPRA headquarters at the weekend in Abuja was witnessed by key industry players, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.

Environment

NiMet forecasts 3-day thunderstorms, rains from Monday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted rainy and thundery weather conditions from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja forecast isolated thunderstorms over parts of Katsina, Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba states in the northern region during the Monday ‘s morning hours.

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kaduna, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States.

“Intermittent rains are expected over parts of Benue, Niger, the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi and Kwara States during the morning hours.

“In the afternoon and evening hours, localised rains are envisaged over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Niger and Nasarawa states.

“Isolated rains are expected over parts of Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and cross river States during the morning hours,” it said.

According to NiMet, localised rains are anticipated over parts of Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ondo, Anambara, Osun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa and Edo States later in the day.

The agency anticipated isolated thunderstorms over parts of Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba States during the morning period on Tuesday.

It later envisaged isolated thunderstorms over parts of Bauchi, Kaduna, Gombe, Yobe, Zamfara, Borno, Sokoto, Taraba, Kebbi, Kano and Jigawa States.

“Intermittent rains are expected over parts of the Benue, Kogi, the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa states during the morning hours.

“Later in the day, isolated rains are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Benue, Kwara and Nasarawa states.

“Intermittent rains are expected over parts of Edo, Ondo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States during the morning hours.

“Later in the day, intermittent rains are expected over the entire Southern region,” it said.

For Wednesday, it said thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kebbi, Bauchi, Sokoto, Borno and Katsina states during the morning hours.

“In the afternoon and evening hours, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Adamawa, Kano and Taraba states.

“Morning rains are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory and Niger States,” it said.

According to NiMet, isolated thunderstorms with rains are expected over parts of the Plateau, Nasarawa and Niger states later in the day.

It predicted cloudy skies over the southern region during morning hours with prospects of moderate rains over parts of Abia, Ebonyi, Ondo, Imo, Edo, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross River States later in the day.

NiMet advised the residents to avoid flood-prone areas as there is a high likelihood of urban flooding in major cities due to heavy downpours.

“Strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur, public should take adequate precaution.

“Adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities. Public and Airline operators are advised to get updated weather reports and forecast from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

“Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet. Visit our website www.nimet.gov.ng,” it said.

Environment

NEMA issues flood alert to Benue, Kogi, Anambra, four other states

The National National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned of impending flood in Benue, Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Rivers and Bayelsa.

The agency advised other States in the central and southern parts to prepare ahead of potential floods that may soon affect communities downstream.

Some of the actions to be taken to mitigate the impact of the flood, according to NEMA, include immediate clearing of blocked drainages, constructing temporary flood barriers and evacuation from flood plains to safe higher grounds.

The agency in a statement on Thursday night by the Head of Press Unit of NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel said: “Following the recent flood that impacted many communities across some states and rising water levels in River Benue and River Niger, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) advises states in the central and southern parts to prepare ahead of potential floods that may soon affect communities downstream.

“The advice has become imperative to activate the State, Local Government Authorities and communities to take necessary actions to mitigate against the risk of flooding and avoid the scale of losses recorded so far in areas that have been impacted, including loss of lives, displacement of communities, and significant damage to property and infrastructures.

“Specifically, the states that are highly probable to the hazard in next few weeks to come are Benue, Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Rivers and Bayelsa.”

On the expected actions to mitigate the impact, the agency stated: “Some of the actions to be taken include immediate clearing of blocked drainages, constructing temporary flood barriers and evacuating from flood plains to safe higher grounds”.

It also adviced communities to stay informed through weather updates and flood warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

“Residents are advised to avoid crossing flooded areas, relocate from flood-prone zones, and cooperate with local emergency services.

“NEMA is working closely with state emergency management agencies and other relevant stakeholders through the National Emergency Operations Centre situated in the Agency’s headquarters to ensure that necessary support, including rescue and relief operations are available to affected communities.

“We urge all residents, especially in vulnerable areas, to heed our warnings and take immediate preventive measures to safeguard lives and property. Preparedness is key in reducing the impact of flooding.”