Being without running water for just two weeks makes you

realise how lucky you are and how much you rely on having such

easy access to it.

For a nation that has become so used to turning on the tap

and filling a glass, the situation in the wake of last summer's

floods was unthinkable.

We are a developed country after all. But for those two

weeks last July, people actually fought over bottled water,

collected rainwater and went without baths and showers.

Restaurants and cafes in Gloucester, Tewkesbury and Cheltenham

were forced to close because they had no water to wash and cook

with.

As the residents and businesses of Gloucestershire battled

to comprehend what was happening, their anger turned toward the

utility companies.

Severn Trent had been forced to switch off water to 350,000

customers because of the rising water at Mythe Water Treatment

works.

Next it was the National Grid's time to sweat. If the water

submerged Walham Electricity substation, 600,000 homes would be

without power and a certain substance would hit the fan.

The main concern was for the elderly. Already deprived of

drinking water, how would they cope without warmth and

light?

Luckily, many had neighbours and friends to keep an eye on

them.

A year on, many have forgiven the utility companies, but if

such catastrophe were to happen again, the public would be less

forgiving.

So what have Severn Trent and the National Grid done to

protect Mythe and Walham against the threat of floods?

Severn Trent has been working with the Environment Agency

and local authorities to ensure they are all better able to

cope with such an extreme event.

They have conducted a “thorough” review of flood defences at

all their key sites and implemented improvements, including

additional flood defences at Mythe.

Although the flood barrier, which was swiftly erected with

the help of the army, is temporary, work is under way to design

and construct a permanent barrier in two to three years.

A £12-million programme of works to alleviate sewage

flooding problems in Gloucester has also been announced, as

have plans for a £25m network reinforcement project in

Gloucestershire to help secure supplies for customers.

Severn Trent has also looked at its deployment of water

bowsers after complaints they were put in the wrong places for

people to access them easily and make more effective use of

emergency supplies.

This is a lesson worth learning. A total of 1,800 bowsers –

mobile vessels filed with fresh water – were planted across

Gloucestershire during last summer's floods. Severn Trent has

still to account for about 300 which are assumed stolen or sold

on. Dozens more have been vandalised.

A spokeswoman for Severn Trent said: “Last summer's floods

brought into sharp focus for us all the importance of being

prepared for such emergencies, and of the need for all agencies

to work together. In the wake of these events, Severn Trent

acted swiftly and can now show improvements in flood defences.

Customers rightly place very high value on the continuity of

supply of both clean water and sewerage services, and support

long-term investment to secure this.”

She said the company had been working with the Environment

Agency and local authorities to ensure that together they were

better able to cope in such events.

She added: “We conducted a thorough review of flood defences

at all our key sites and have already implemented a number of

improvements.”

Walham too has a temporary barrier in place. Stewart Larque,

from National Grid, which is responsible for the site, said:

“The barrier was put up pretty quickly after the floods and

that is more than enough to protect the site at the

moment.”

Mr Larque said the Energy Network Association had led a task

group into what could be done to protect sites and had supplied

the information to Sir Michael Pitt's flood report. He said

after those recommendations had been digested, National Grid

would make decisions on what further defences. He said: “In the

immediate aftermath of the floods, we put a flood barrier up

that will last several years and is made from the same

materials the army use to protect against rocket-propelled

grenades.

“We have also invested £1m in mobile flood defences that are

housed in separate regions and can be taken where they are most

needed. The temporary flood barrier at Walham is a medium-term

solution to give us a few years to look at a permanent

solution.

“Through the meetings of the Energy Network Association, all

utility companies are hoping to learn the lessons of last

summer's floods and act accordingly.

“The events of last summer were completely unprecedented,

but we all hope to learn from them and put protection in

place.”