How do I report a blocked gully or drain or overflowing manhole which is causing localised flooding?
The road is flooded and I'm worried it will spread to my drive, what can you do to help?
Contact us, using the contact details, above.
Is there anything I can do to prevent flooding to my property?
See our flood advice website page.
There is a missing / broken gully / manhole cover - how do I report this?
Contact us, using the contact details, above.
How often are my gullies cleaned?
Once a year. Gullies on major highway routes or areas prone to flooding are cleaned more often.
My gully is blocked, can it be cleaned before it is scheduled to be done?
Contact us, using the contact details, above.
Who is responsible for the main sewer drains?
The water board you pay your water rates to - Thames or Southern Water.
Do we work on response times?
We work on response times for a number of activities. To find out more phone 0118 974 6000 between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.
Council contractors were operating on the fault today but the work was not completed?
In some instances our contractors are informed to 'make safe' the issue - they will return at a later date to complete the work.
Who owns the ditch outside my house?
Ditches that form a boundary between properties and the highway land are generally the responsibility of the riparian owners. Find out more on our drainage and flooding website page.
What is a riparian owner?
A riparian owner is the adjacent landowner of the land on the banks or the bed of a watercourse. Find out more on our drainage and flooding website page.
Why am I responsible for the ditch, it does not fall in the boundary of my property?
Even if a ditch is outside of the property boundary ownership remains with the adjacent landowner, known as the riparian landowner. Find out more on our drainage and flooding website page.
What do I have to do as the riparian owner?
You should keep the watercourse free from obstruction that will affect the waterflow. Find out more on our drainage and flooding website page.
Why is it my responsibility, the highway drains into the ditch?
It does not automatically make it a highway ditch even if the road drains into the ditch / watercourse as Section 100 of the 1980 Highways Act allows a Highway Authority to discharge water from the highway into a watercourse for the purpose of draining the highway.
Main watercourse - the Environment Agency is responsible for a main watercourse, all other watercourses / ditches are classified as 'non main river' watercourses and are the responsibility of the adjacent landowner.
Ordinary watercourse / non main river watercourse - an ordinary watercourse can be a river, stream, ditch, drain, cut, dyke, sluice or sewer and passage through which water flows but does not form part of a main river, we are responsible for their maintenance.
