Introduction
It can often be confusing about who is responsible for protecting a property.
Please note – it is the responsibility of the property’s owner to protect their properties from the risk of flooding, particularly if it is in an area that is known to be likely to flood.
So, do not wait for a flood to happen before you take action. We strongly recommend that you do everything you can to protect against the risk of flooding.
Find out if you are at risk of flooding
You do not need to live near a river or watercourse to experience flooding. In Somerset there are approximately 19,000 properties which are at risk from surface water flooding.
To help you assess your flood risk, you should know all the organisations that have a role to play in flood and water management.
You can check the long-term flood risk for your area on the GOV.UK website
Knowing what has happened in the past may be valuable to help you understand the issues in an area – records of previous local flood events may be held by your Parish Council, the Lead Local Flood Authority or the Environment Agency.
There are river system (usually known as fluvial) and coastal flood risk maps and surface water flood risk maps on the Environment Agency website – Check for flooding in England
Surface water maps show areas that may be likely to have surface water flooding in a 1-in-200-year flood risk. A 1-in-200-year flood risk means you have a 0.5 percent chance of experiencing a flood every year. This does not mean that if you were flooded this year you won’t be flooded for the next 200 years! These maps may help to increase your understanding of the risks from surface water flooding.
The Environment Agency’s surface water flood maps give an indication of the broad areas likely to be at risk of surface water flooding. But, Environment Agency surface water flood maps are not always the best way to identify whether an individual property will flood. For more information on the surface water flood risk maps contact the Flood Risk Management Team at flooding@somerset.gov.uk.
Planning for a flood
If you are flooded, the emergency services may not be able to reach you. It is up to you to plan for you and your family. Think ahead and build your own emergency plan today.
How to plan ahead for flooding on GOV.UK gives advice on what to do, how to make a plan and where to get help.
Create your Household Emergency Checklist and Emergency Plan now. If you would like the Household Emergency Checklist and Plan template sent to you please email civilcontingencies@somerset.gov.uk
We have also put together a list of useful contact phone numbers.
You should check for flood warnings in Somerset on the GOV.UK Flood Information Service website. For current flood warnings in force, please phone the 24-hour Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or visit the Environment Agency flood warning website
Be aware of your local flood plan and contact details for the local flood warden.
You can find out more on our Flood Prevention page
How to prepare your property for flooding
Where there is a risk of flooding to a depth of more than 0.9 metres, keeping water out can sometimes do more harm than good. The pressure of water against your property could cause structural damage to the building itself.
The National Flood Forum
The National Flood Forum has produced a Blue Pages Directory of flood protection products and services to help you protect your home or business against flooding.
While we cannot endorse any of the products, we are happy to provide the information so that you can make informed choices. The National Flood Forum recommends that you visit the Environment Agency website before you buy any flood protection products.
Floodline service - 0345 988 1188
The Floodline service is provided by the Environment Agency, and can provide useful information about buying flood protection equipment, as well as up-to-date flood warnings and advice. You can also request copies of their information booklets – Preparing for a Flood, During a Flood and After a Flood.
They also offer advice and expertise through education and promotion of good practices to farmers.
Sandbags
You can find information on how to use sandbags on our Flood prevention page.
How we prepare our roads
Flooding on roads can cause a hazard and the road structure can be damaged. We have a duty to keep Somerset’s road network free from obstruction and safe for everyone to use – this includes keeping roads and pavements free of flooding.
Roads have features designed to take the water away from the road surface. Heavy rainfall, a road being in a low-lying area, changes in run off from nearby fields and rivers overflowing, are some situations that can lead to the road flooding or being waterlogged – even when drains are in good working order.
Road gullies are cleared every year, or more often where appropriate. If it is likely that property could be flooded and water on the road is a hazard, please report it to us.
Useful contacts and information
Our emergency contacts information
For details of flood warnings, visit the Environment Agency’s website.
For weather information, visit the Met Office website.
For advice about how to deal with flooding, phone Floodline on 0345 988 1188
For information about emergency road closures, visit our Emergency road closure gates page
For up-to-date information about floods and other adverse weather conditions affecting roads in Somerset, visit our Roads, travel and parking section.