Severn Trent issued further storm and flooding advice to customers on Thursday 5 December 2024, as Storm Darragh was set to hit the Midlands over the weekend1. The water company set out who households should contact for different kinds of flooding and listed steps to reduce the impact of flooding on homes1.
The company said responsibility is split between agencies. It advised that flooding on roads, blocked drains or grates on highways, groundwater surface flooding, and flooding in streams, brooks and small rivers should be reported to the local council1. For the risk of flooding from rising river levels, it pointed to the Environment Agency, whose Flood line number it gave as 0345 988 11881. Flooding from the public sewer should be reported to Severn Trent, and the company said that where flooding is due to heavy rain it may need to wait for the flood water to subside before it can investigate; it also advised contacting your insurer for help and advice1.
Severn Trent said storms can produce different kinds of flooding, with surface water on the streets potentially resulting from blocked roadside drains, ground saturation, or when the amount of rain falling overwhelms the capacity of the sewers1. It added that if the flooding is rainwater, it should subside on its own once the weather starts to clear and it stops raining1.
The steps it listed to help keep a home flood-free during stormy conditions were to empty any water butts in the garden before the rain starts, to check that home and garden drains are free-flowing by clearing leaves and other waste, and to clear leaves or debris from roadside drains where possible or contact the local council if they are blocked1. On sewers, it said items such as tampons, wet wipes, sanitary products and nappies flushed down the toilet, and fats, oils and grease from the kitchen, can all contribute to blockages that give sewage nowhere else to go1. It advised flushing only the three Ps (pee, poo and paper), scraping sauces, gravy and food scraps from plates into the bin instead of rinsing them down the sink, and pouring cooking oil into a bottle and throwing it away1.
Steve Betteridge, Head of Waste Network Operations at Severn Trent, said:
"Knowing who to contact first time can save a lot of worry and help to make sure that the right calls are able to get through. People might naturally think of contacting Severn Trent first, but it could be another agency that they have to speak to."
Why it matters for households
The advice applies to households in the Midlands ahead of Storm Darragh's expected arrival over the weekend of 7 and 8 December 20241. For households, the practical point is that the right agency depends on the source of the flooding: the local council for roads, blocked highway drains, groundwater and small watercourses; the Environment Agency for rivers at risk of bursting their banks; and Severn Trent for sewer flooding from public drains or manholes1. Severn Trent said that knowing who to contact first time can save worry and help make sure the right calls get through1. Its listed household steps concern water butts, drains and what is flushed or poured away1. The flooding guide sets out household preparation in more detail, and who to report flooding to covers the agencies involved. The types of flooding page explains the difference between river, surface water and groundwater flooding, and flood alerts, flood warnings and severe flood warnings explains what each level means.
What happens next
Storm Darragh was forecast to reach the Midlands over the weekend following the announcement1. Severn Trent said that where flooding is due to heavy rain, it may need to wait for flood water to subside before it can investigate, and that rainwater flooding should subside on its own once the weather clears and the rain stops1. No further dated steps have been reported1.
Who to Report Flooding To
