Severn Trent issued updated storm and flooding advice to customers on 26 September 2024, after what it described as days of torrential rain across the Midlands, with more heavy downfalls expected in the next 48 hours1. The water company said showers were set to continue on Thursday and Friday, with a Met Office Yellow weather warning in place1.
The company set out which organisation households should contact depending on the source of the flooding. For flooding on roads, small rivers and streams, it directs people to the local council, which also helps with groundwater surface flooding and flooding in streams, brooks and small rivers1. For major river flooding, it names the Environment Agency, whose Flood line number it gives as 0345 988 11881. For sewer flooding or flooding due to burst pipes, it asks customers to contact Severn Trent, and notes that if the flooding is due to heavy rain it may need to wait for the flood water to subside before it can investigate; it also advises contacting your insurer for help and advice1.
Severn Trent said storms can produce different kinds of flooding, with surface water on streets potentially resulting from blocked roadside drains, ground saturation, or when the amount of rain falling overwhelms the capacity of the sewers1. It listed steps households can take before heavy rain: emptying water butts in the garden before the rain starts to reduce rainwater flow into drains, checking that home and garden drains are free-flowing and clearing leaves or other waste, and clearing leaves and debris from roadside drains where possible or contacting the local council if they are blocked1.
"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."
The company also warned that sewer flooding can be more likely when the wrong items are disposed of down the drain, naming tampons, wet wipes, sanitary products, nappies, and fats, oils and grease from the kitchen as contributors to blockages that can give sewage nowhere else to go1. Its advice is to flush only "the three Ps, pee, poo and paper", to scrape sauces, gravy and food scraps from plates into the bin rather than rinsing them down the sink, and to pour cooking oil into a bottle and throw it away1.
Why it matters for households
The warning covers the Midlands, where further heavy rain was expected in the 48 hours after 26 September 20241. For households, the practical point is that responsibility for flooding is split between bodies: councils for roads, small rivers and streams, the Environment Agency for major river flooding, and Severn Trent for flooding from the public sewer1. Severn Trent's own guidance is that rainwater flooding should subside on its own once the weather clears and it stops raining, while sewer flooding from a public drain or manhole should be reported to the company, which says it will send someone out as soon as possible1. Households at risk of river flooding can check the flood alerts, flood warnings and severe flood warnings in force, and the guide on who to report flooding to sets out the same split of responsibilities. The company's account of the different sources of flooding, from blocked drains to sewer capacity, is covered in the guide to types of flooding, and its advice on drains and water butts sits alongside the checklist when a flood warning is issued.
What happens next
The Met Office Yellow weather warning was in place for Thursday and Friday, with showers set to continue1. Severn Trent said that where flooding is due to heavy rain, it may need to wait for the flood water to subside before it can investigate1. No further dated steps have been reported.
Who to Report Flooding To
During a Flood at Home
