Severn Trent has issued fresh advice to customers after snow and torrential rain caused flooding in some parts of Gloucestershire today.
The New Year got off to a freezing start as temperatures plummeted to below zero, with more bitterly cold weather expected in coming days.
Snow fell in many parts of the region at the weekend and today (6th January) heavy rain caused flooding in some areas, sparking new advice from Severn Trent on who customers should contact.
- For flooding on roads, small rivers and streams - you should contact your local council to report flooding on roads or blocked drains or grates on highways. They will also help you with groundwater surface flooding, as well as flooding in streams, brooks and small rivers.
- For major river flooding - The Environment Agency will be able to help you if you are at risk of flooding due to rising river levels. You can find more information and contact details on their website. Their Flood line number is 0345 988 1188.
- For sewer flooding or flooding due to burst pipes - If the flooding is coming from the public sewer you will need to contact us. If the flooding is due to heavy rain, we may need to wait for the flood water to subside before we can investigate. You should also contact your insurer so they can give you help and advice.
Scott Ludford, Waste Lead for Severn Trent, said: ”We know just how distressing any form of flooding can be and with more extreme weather events on the horizon being driven by climate change, we want to make sure that our customers are as prepared as possible if we see a return of last year’s stormy conditions.”
Storms can produce different kinds of flooding events, 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 sewers.
Scott added: ”If the flooding is rainwater, it should subside on its own once the weather starts to clear and it stops raining. But if you see sewer flooding from a public drain or manhole should contact us and we’ll send someone out as soon as possible.”
Other steps people can take to help keep their home flood-free during stormy conditions include:
- Empty any water butts in the garden before the rain starts, this will help reduce the rainwater flow into the drains when a storm arrives.
- Check that your home and garden drains are free-flowing – clear out any leaves or other waste so rainwater can more easily flow away.
- Have a look at the roadside drains around your house and clear any leaves or debris that you can – or get in touch with your local council if blocked.
When it comes to freezing temperatures, there are many ways people prepare their home. Tips and advice include:
- Wrap all pipework, fittings, and storage tanks in unheated areas of the home (such as lofts, roofs, outbuildings and garages) with insulation. It’s best to use good quality waterproof foam which can be found at the local DIY store
- Anyone who has outside taps, either insulate them or drain them down to the pipework that links to the tap. Don’t worry too much about the underground water pipes which lead to the home. These should be buried deep enough to protect them from the frost
- Make sure that everyone in the household know where the stop tap is located so that it can be reached quickly in an emergency. Stop taps are usually located under the kitchen sink, in the garage or in a ground floor utility room or bathroom, near to where the water supply pipe first enters the home
- Customers are also reminded to checking you can turn stop taps easily, as they can often get stuck if they’re not used very often. Finding that it’s stuck or broken when there is a burst may just complicate the problem further
- Registered plumbers can also check household pipes to make sure they’re properly lagged and fill in any gaps. Severn Trent supports watersafe.org.uk – a dedicated online search facility for qualified and approved plumbers
More information, including details on who to contact in the event of flooding can be found here or by visiting www.stwater.co.uk/ and searching for ‘flooding’.
Further information on how to get the home ready for winter can be found here.