The London boroughs of Sutton and Kingston are deploying new sensors to monitor water level to reduce the risk of disruption from road closures, following floods that closed the centre of Kingston in August 2020
The sensors and an email-based early warning system will allow the two councils to monitor rising levels of water so they can ask drainage contractors to respond to surface water flooding.
Councillor Tim Cobbett, Deputy Leader of Kingston Council, said: “These measures will provide much needed confidence to local businesses that the council has put in measures to reduce the risk of road closure disruption caused by surface water flooding. It will allow the council to provide members and major stakeholders with an early warning of any disruption that may occur at these hotspot areas.”
The two councils are undertaking the project as part of the South London Partnership InnOvaTe Project, which is working to deliver Internet of Things technologies across five boroughs of the capital, also including Croydon, Merton and Richmond upon Thames. The project has £4 million in funding from the London Councils Business Rates Retention scheme.
Image: Kingston and Sutton Councils
