The worst floods to hit Somerset in more than 70 years saw UKDN Waterflow clear more than 10 million litres of water from under a railway bridge at School Hill in Crewkerne.
Staff carried out flood works on behalf of Network Rail after a blocked gully caused water levels to rise to almost 10 feet and made the road below impassable by vehicle.
UKDN Waterflow, one of the UK's largest independent drainage repair companies, was initially engaged to carry out routine drain clearance at the site, which was subject to intermittent flooding, and had to accommodate a ten-fold increase in water.
Six operatives took more than 54 hours to clear 9.8 million litres of water. The team used a high-performing vacuum tanker unit and a four inch hydraulic pump that saw them remove 1,800 litres of water every minute.
Matt Duncan, Project Manager, UKDN Waterflow, said: "Being reactive to the maintenance needs of our customers is vital, especially when the temperate British weather means that the parameters of a job can quickly change.
"On inspecting the site at School Hill a month ago as part of a planned maintenance project, it looked as though we'd be dealing with flooding about a foot or so deep; now, at its deepest, the water had risen to just under ten feet. Our dedicated team worked hard to clear the excess water and treated the problem source, which turned out to be a blocked gully."
Graham Dodsworth, Maintenance Protection Co-ordinator, Network Rail, added: "This should have been a routine job for UKDN Waterflow but ended up as a different scenario due to the exceptional weather conditions. Fortunately, they weren't put off, got stuck in as usual, and made the route passable again for local traffic."