Managing director, Stuart Pearce
The environmental reports and data specialist explains how groundwater flooding causes more damage to property, but is the least understood.
£530 Million annual economic loss incurred
424,000 properties that could be affected by groundwater flooding
11% of the land area of England
Available data in search reports used by purchasers and their solicitors or surveyors ahead of completion
2. Improved insurance cover for groundwater flooding
Many policies exclude groundwater risk – so better data provides an opportunity for insurers to accurately identify the risk and offer suitable cover
3. Protect our vital infrastructure through a better management response
Asset and community response managers can be better prepared through groundwater flood risk forecasting and alerts for vital installations, like electricity sub stations and sewerage treatment centres, as well as local community facilities.
4. Design and build property to account for groundwater riskArchitects and their clients can account for groundwater flood risk in scheme designs through using available site data.
Stuart Pearce concluded:
“Groundwater is responsible for about 30% of all property and infrastructure risk and yet the government, insurers and property professionals are still largely ignoring the risk.
“Our guide clearly details how widespread this risk is in England, but also that data and site due diligence reports are available now to understand and account for its ever growing threat.”
GeoSmart provides a range of groundwater flood risk assessments through its FloodSmart report range, while the 5m National Groundwater Flood Risk Map is also available under licence.
GeoSmart are also working with regulators and private companies to provide early warning forecasting of groundwater flood risk.
“Understanding Groundwater Flood Risk” can be downloaded here.
