Flooding and drainage

Flooding information

• Flood warnings on the Environment Agency website 
• How to use sandbags for flood protection from gov.uk website (PDF document)
• Call the Floodline on 0345 988 11 88 for help
• Check our Borough Alert page for updates

Report a blocked drain or flooding

• To report a blocked drain or sewer call Thames Water on 0800 316 9800 or visit the Thames Water website, or use our report flooding and blocked drains form.

How to prepare for a flood 

Start preparing today before a flood happens: 

• Check your insurance cover.
• Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water mains supplies.
• Prepare a flood kit of essential items: water, blanket, torch etc.
• Know who to contact and how.
• Think about what you can move out now/
• Think about what you would want to move to safety during a flood.

Visit the Environment Agency website for more advice on how to prepare for a flood. Also read the Thames Region Drainage Byelaws (PDF document.)

Sandbags

The primary responsibility for protecting property from the risk of flooding rests with the Property Owner. 

The Environment Agency takes great effort to notify property owners in flood risk areas of the risks they face. They encourage you to make plans to protect yourself and your property. We support this approach and would urge you to follow the advice of the Environment Agency. Read the Environment Agency flood warning information on the Gov.uk website for more details. 

We have access to a small number of sandbags, in the event of a flood. Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to protect every property and in these cases, priorities have to be made.  

With this in mind, we have adopted an official Sandbag Policy (PDF document). The policy provides clear guidance to residents of the conditions that will apply when we provides sandbags. Through this policy, residents and parish councils are encouraged to obtain their own sandbags. Residents can buy sandbags from a local Builders Merchants.