Keeping Cardigan dry – Joyce visits new flood protection scheme

Assembly Member Joyce Watson has visited a new Environment Agency Wales scheme helping to protect Cardigan residents from flooding.
A recent investigation by the Agency found that people in 60 properties in the Strand area of town could benefit from individual property protection measures to protect them from flooding from the Afon Teifi and the sea.
Under the Welsh Government funded scheme, EAW has delivered temporary flood barriers to each property. The tailor-made boards can be easily fitted in doorways when flooding is expected. For a small number of properties where the barriers were not suitable, permanent UPVC flood-proof doors have been fitted for the first time in Wales.
Mid and West Wales AM Joyce Watson said:
“We cannot control the weather and we cannot command the tide, but what we can do is manage risks and help families, businesses and communities prepare for when flooding does happen.
“As well as providing flood barriers, the scheme has raised awareness. People I spoke to said it has given them the tools, the knowledge and the confidence to know what to do in case of flooding.”
During her visit on Friday (20 July), Mrs Watson met Cardigan resident Mrs Hartson to see first-hand how the new flood-proof doors work in an emergency.
Steve Brown, from Environment Agency Wales added:
“We’ve seen only recently the devastating impact a flood can have on a community, as many villages in mid Wales were hit by severe flooding last month.
“The scheme we’ve introduced here in Cardigan means that homeowners can feel reassured that they can take action to protect their property during a flood.
“We work hard to reduce the risk of flooding for people, but we can’t prevent it completely. What we can do is work with businesses and communities to make sure they are prepared.”