‘Structurally compromised’ Black Sluice Drainage Board pumping station at Swineshead needs repairs to keep us flood free

A drainage board is hoping to win funding to replace a ‘structurally compromised’ pumping station which plays a key part in keeping us flood free.

Black Sluice Drainage Board says it has put in place a temporary solution to ensure Swineshead Pumping Station continues to protect the area while a business case is being worked up to win Government funding.

And it is hoped that the application in 2028 will be a test case as all of the board’s 34 pumping stations are coming to the end of their useful lives and will need to be replaced.

Black Sluice, like the other drainage boards in Lincolnshire, help to keep this area safe so people are able to continue to live and work within the flat landscape - which also produces much of the nation’s food.

The importance of drainage boards are coming more to the fore with the impact of wetter winters.

Black Sluice Drainage board protects homes, businesses and farmland between Bourne and Boston, taking in much of South Holland.

Chief executive Daniel Withnall said: “Most of the pumping stations were put in the 1960s so they are getting to the stage where we are going to have to start looking at more structural type replacements and such like.

“It doesn’t matter how much you replace pumps and electrical cables, the building is not going to last forever. We are getting to that point now.”

The board has 34 pumping stations and 63 electric pumps which are vital to look after areas such as Gosberton, Quadring, Donington, Kirton, Heckington, Billingborough and Morton.

Those pumping stations are around 60 years old and were originally constructed using money provided by the Government.

Swineshead Pumping Station protects an area of 4,819 hectares and has a capacity of 6,795 litres per second.

The problem facing Swineshead pumping station relates to a metal frame.

Mr Withnall said: “They are built in a unique way where the pumps themselves sit on a metal frame. The metal frame is holding the pump in place and that needs to be sorted out.

“We have put temporary measures in place to keep going and running which is good. But temporary measures do not last forever. We are looking at options.”

While plans for replacing the Swineshead pumping station are in the early stages, the options could include knocking it down and starting again or keep the old building going until the new one is in place.

A consultant is looking at the options to work up plans, include modern equipment, in order to submit funding applications in the future. They are hoping to submit this by 2028.

But Black Sluice will have to put forward strong arguments. The board’s pumping stations cover remote areas which protect a lot of agricultural areas and villages - so the low population means they could miss out on public money.

Mr Withnall said: “We need to highlight how we are going to replace these pumping stations.

“The problem with the pumping stations is very real.”

The increased rain brought by our wetter winters has resulted in higher energy costs for IDBs as they are forced to move it away from our fields and homes.

Black Sluice has also seen a hike in energy costs in recent years. In 2021, the electricity bill was £121,000 but this shot up to £747,000,

The previous Conservative administration have promised a £3.2million recovery plan to go towards the costs of an IDB.

Mr Withnall said; “We were pumping out round in circles that put a lot of strain on our assets and pumps. A lot of money has gone to refurbish the pumps.

“When our turn-over is £3.5m to £4million and the recovery funding is £3.2million that shows the scale of last winter.”

He said that IDBs are there to protect our flat landscape which is below sea level but added: “My concern is if we have another winter like last year and IDBs are going to be up against it again.”

Mr Withnall called for MPs, councils and other political groups to work together.

He said: “I think we are getting that level of engagement but going forward it is about keeping it in people’s minds and also educating people about IDBs.”