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Wednesday, 3 October 2023

Reporting road flooding and burst water mains

Find out how to report a flooding problem on roads, or from burst water mains or blocked drains. Learn who is responsible for fixing flooding from drains, sewers and water mains.

Report flooding from roads and public drains

To report flooding on public roads, blocked gullies, gratings, drains or roadside ditches, follow the link below. You will be taken to your council's website.

Flooding from drains and sewers

Public sewers

To report an overflowing public sewer, you should contact your local council. The council has a copy of the sewer maps, which can be viewed at the council offices.

Private drains

If private drains are overflowing, this is the responsibility of the homeowner / occupier. You will need to get a drainage contractor to deal with any blockage. Your water company may be able to do the repair work and charge you the cost of any work.

Private sewers

Water companies are responsible for private sewers that connect to the public sewers.

To find out about the difference between drains and sewers, and how responsibilities have changed, see ‘Dealing with problems with drains and sewers’.

Flooding from a burst water main

To report a flood from a burst water main, you should contact your local water supply company. The company is responsible for the supply of water and the pipes up to and including the water stopcock on the boundary of your property. A stopcock is a valve that is used to switch off the flow of water to your property.

Flooding in your home

Internal pipework and the water service pipe are the responsibility of the homeowner or landlord. To find out what to do if there is a flood in your home, and how to help prevent one, see 'Preparing for a flood'.

Flooding from a main river

To report flooding from a main river, you should contact the Environment Agency. The Agency also provides a 'Floodline', a 24-hour advice and information service for floods and flood warnings.

Flooding from watercourses

If you own land or property next to a river or other watercourse you have certain rights and responsibilities. To find out about these, see 'Preparing for a flood'.

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