22-Jun-2011
The Environment Agency has extended its
free direct flood warning service to more
homes and businesses in Salford.
From today, 316 properties adjacent to the
River Irwell between Victoria Station and
Regent Bridge, including Chapel Street,
Booth Street, Clowes Street, Browncross
Street, Stanley Street and Granada Studios
are at risk of flooding from the River Irwell
(at Salford) are now able to receive direct
flood warnings.
Floodline Warnings Direct is a free service
that gives advance warning of flooding via
phone, text, email, pager or fax. The Environment
Agency is urging homes and businesses in
these locations to sign up and take advantage
of the service.
Simon Heckle, Environment Agency Flood Incident
Team Leader, said: “1 in 6 properties in
England and Wales are at flood risk. Anyone
who has experienced flooding will understand
the stress, disruption and grief it can
cause. We all hope it won’t happen to us,
but it’s better to be prepared.
“I encourage everyone
to visit our website or call the Environment
Agency’s Floodline to find out if they are
at risk and to find out if they can sign
up to our free flood warning service. By
issuing warnings when flooding is expected,
we hope to give people the chance to protect
themselves and their property.”
Flood warnings are broadcast
on local radio and television and on the
Environment Agency’s website which is updated
every 15 minutes. To find out if you are
at risk of flooding and to see if you can
sign up for direct flood warnings call the
Environment Agency’s Floodline: 0845 988
1188 or visit the Environment Agency’s website:
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodnorthwest
+ More
Environment Agency leading
a multi-agency response to incident
22-Jun-2011
The Environment Agency is leading a multi-agency
response to protect people and the environment
following an incident at Preesall, Lancs.
Press Notice
The Environment Agency is leading a multi-agency
response to protect people and the environment
following an incident at Preesall, Lancs,
which saw contaminated brine water burst
into the air, falling onto local fields,
and causing the closure of a local road.
On Saturday (18 June) the wellhead of an
old disused brine well collapsed on a site
owned by Halite Energy Ltd. Swift action
was taken to minimise the environment impact,
however, the brine discharge has affected
an area of farmland and entered a nearby
river.
The Environment Agency, Wyre Borough Council,
Natural England and the Foods Standards
Agency, amongst others*, have been closely
monitoring the situation to understand the
extent of the impact and to protect people
and the environment.
The incident has caused no public health
risks and roads are now open as normal.
Monitoring of the flow of the contaminated
water has shown that there does not appear
to be any impact on the Wyre estuary or
water supplies. The Food Standards Agency
has confirmed that the risk of contamination
of local mussel beds appears to be very
low.
Local farmers have been given guidance,
and advised not to use their fields until
further information has been gathered. The
multi-agency group is keeping in touch with
farmers in close proximity to the site.
Halite Energy Ltd is carrying out a thorough
investigation into the reasons why this
event occurred, and a clean-up operation
is underway.
Keith Budinger, chief executive of Halite
said: "Halite is working closely and
cooperating fully with all the relevant
agencies, including the Environment Agency,
Lancashire County Council and Wyre Borough
Council, to ensure that we mitigate the
impact of this incident. Alongside this
activity we are carrying out a thorough
investigation into the reasons why this
event occurred.
"Halite is committed to being a good
steward of the land in our ownership and
we take this responsibility very seriously.
We will ensure that we review our ongoing
maintenance programme following this event.
"Once again I would like to take this
opportunity to apologise for the disruption
caused during the past few days and assure
the local community that we are doing everything
we can to minimise the impact of the incident."
*The multi-agency response includes representatives
from the Environment Agency, Wyre Borough
Council, Lancashire County Council, Natural
England, the Foods Standards Agency, Health
Protection Agency, Marine Management Organisation,
Maritime Coastguard Agency, Lancashire Labs,
and CEFAS.
