Flooding and drainage
Flooding to roads, pavements & public open spaces (parks)
Flooding can occur when the amount of water falling is greater than the capacity of the drains to take it away, or it can be caused by heavy rain, a burst water pipe or a blocked gully.
We are responsible for highway drainage and the emergency clearance of gullies and drains when flooding occurs.
The majority of road and pavement drains are connected to public sewers that carry both foul (dirty or waste) and surface water. The public sewers are owned and maintained by United Utilities, if there is an issue with a public sewer please report this to United Utilities.
Some of these sewers are over 100 years old and were not designed to carry large volumes of water. Therefore during prolonged steady rain or short bursts of very heavy rain the drainage system can become full very quickly which prevents more water draining into the system. This can result in flooding giving the appearance that gullies are blocked.
When the rain stops and the level of flow in the sewer drops, flooding often clears quickly as the excess water is able to enter the system.
Further Information
Contents of Flooding and drainage
- Flooding to roads, pavements & public open spaces (parks) (this page)
- Gullies
- Flooding from rivers, streams and canals
- Drainage – private property
- Burst water mains
