Abingdon [patched]: Drain Derooting

The old map of Abingdon showed three things: the river, the abbey ruins, and the drain. Not a sewer—the Drain. A stone-lined sluice built by monks eight hundred years ago, meant to reroute floodwater from the Thames. But over centuries, Abingdon forgot the drain worked both ways.

When the council announced the "Derooting Project"—a multimillion-pound scheme to tear out the old drain network and replace it with concrete pipe—Mara knew what would happen. You don’t deroot a thing that’s holding the ground together. You just make it angry. drain derooting abingdon

Roots can enter pipes through tiny cracks or loose joints, especially in older systems made of clay or terracotta. Once inside, they find a perfect environment for growth, quickly expanding into thick "root balls" that trap grease, hair, and debris. Common Signs of Root Intrusion The old map of Abingdon showed three things: