July’s soggy series of torrential downpours may have drained away, but the after-effects are still being felt across the district.
Barry Eldridge’s house in Roebuck Gate, Stevenage, was flooded and his car was written off in the storm.
The 34-year-old lives at the house with his wife Natalie, 32, and their son Riley, seven.
He said: “It is not good. The water wasn’t running down the drains so everything came back up and is still sitting in the road.
“It’s still there now so you can imagine the smell.”
Ringway looks after the county’s roads for Herts County Council and has been working to clear the highways. Its divisional manager Kevin Carrol said: “After using rods in the drain in question, we established it was not blocked.
“The drainage system sometimes just can’t cope with the amount of water that collects on surrounding surfaces.”
Stevenage Museum was also flooded and is closed until further notice.
Water filled the Stevenage Borough Council-run facility underneath St Andrew and St George’s church in St George’s Way, and in some places was nearly two feet deep.
To limit the damage most of its artefacts have been removed to the neighbouring North Herts Museum in Hitchin, with many people volunteering their services.
Councillor Richard Henry is responsible for leisure at the council.
He said: “Our staff and volunteers have worked incredibly hard for the past week and a half and, when I visited last week, I was extremely impressed with their efforts.
“On behalf of the council, I would like to express my thanks to them and to other organisations and partners who have helped out.”
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