There are few events in life more dispiriting than having your home flooded.
That such a demoralising occurrence should destroy your house once in a lifetime is traumatic. That it should happen four times in the past nine years is soul-destroying, but that is what has happened to 15 householders in Coalisland, following the weekend’s floods. In Dundonald, 18 homes were also damaged in a repeat of what they suffered in the early 1970s.
The distress from flooding is caused not only by the water but also by the mud, slime, and debris it contains.
When that has been cleaned up and repair work has been carried out to the building and its electrics, the damaged home then requires new flooring, kitchen units and furniture. While insurance may cover these costs for the first flooding, it becomes either highly expensive to ensure future insurance or, more likely, it means that insurance cannot be obtained.
That seriously affects those still paying a mortgage and it significantly reduces the re-sale value of the house. Flooding is not just a one-day phenomenon. It is a life changing experience.
It has become more frequent in recent years and with increased rainfall because of climate change, that pattern is likely to magnify in the future. Last year there was widespread flooding in many towns, including Downpatrick, Newry and Portadown. Over the weekend there were more than 500 non-domestic incidents as flooding caused major disruption across the north
The problem has triggered a limited response from the Departments of Infrastructure and Agriculture and local councils. By responding only after it has happened, their general reaction suggests an air of inevitability about flooding.
However, it is perfectly preventable. It has two main causes. The first is that rivers have been modified away from their natural state by farming and urban development, which means their artificial channels cannot cope with additional water.
The second is that housing and industrial development have not sufficiently allowed for water run-off from concrete and tarmac. Our rivers require restoration and our non-porous surfaces in urban areas need better drainage.
Both solutions require time and money. More importantly, they require cross-departmental planning at government level, a process which has not been much in evidence in Stormont.
Instead, we have had years of neglect in infrastructure investment and sloppy planning procedures, which have allowed houses to be built in obvious floodplains without appropriate drainage facilities.
With the leader of the world’s largest economy, Donald Trump, claiming that climate change is a “hoax”, we can expect significantly more rainfall here and more flooding. There is no evidence that Stormont has a plan to address this challenge – and that perhaps is the most dispiriting news of all.
