New facility to test flood defences

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A new facility developed by Environment Agency allows the companies working on flood protection products to test them before introducing them into the market.

A replica living room inside a massive water tank at a site in Oxfordshire will test products that can be used by homeowners and businesses against flooding and will be awarded with a Kitemark symbol to show they meet new industry standards, the Environment Agency said.

To test the effectiveness of new flood defences, different designs including door gates and air brick covers will be fitted to the replica building and then the tank will be filled with water to simulate a severe flood.

The initiative aims to make sure that new products entering the market are robust and effective.

Robert Runcie, the Environment Agency's director of flood and coastal risk management, said: "The new testing facility and industry standard will help those at risk make informed choices and have confidence in the flood products they buy, as well as encouraging new product development."

He continued that one in six homes across England and Wales were at risk of flooding, and the number was likely to increase as a result of global warming.

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