Flooding can happen anywhere
Are you prepared?
Living in an area that can be prone to flooding – whether from river or surface water – means being prepared is key. It is the responsibility of property owners to take appropriate action to protect their property from flooding.
Eight ways you can prepare for a flood
- Sign up to flood warnings.
- Make sure that you have the correct home insurance policy in place and save the emergency contact number to your phone. The Flood Re scheme aims to make the flood cover aspect of household insurance policies more affordable.
- Prepare a flood plan. The Environment Agency has a handy template.
- Prepare an emergency flood kit or grab bag with items that you may need if flooding prevents you from easily accessing your home.
- Keep your drains and gutters clear of leaves to help prevent blockages and localised flooding during heavy rainfall. Report any nearby blocked drains to the relevant authority.
- Look to protect your property. The National Flood Forum gives good advice about how to protect your property effectively. You may wish to source your own sandbags or aqua-sacs as the environment agency and local authorities don’t have a duty to supply them.
- Know the location of nearby community resilience containers which are unlocked when a flood warning is triggered. .
- Make sure you know where and how to quickly turn off your water, gas and electricity mains if water enters your property.
What to do during a flood
Flood water can rise quickly so always focus on the safety of yourself and your family before your property, and be prepared to act quickly. If there is an immediate risk to life or you are trapped by flood water, call 999.
In the event of an emergency or severe flooding, follow these steps to stay safe:
- Move your family and pets upstairs, or to a high place with a means of escape.
- Move important items and documents upstairs or somewhere high and safe.
- Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if flood water is about to enter your home.
- Do not touch any electrical appliances or cables when standing in flood water.
- If you are asked to evacuate your home, contact your insurance provider or landlord (if renting) as they may be able to provide you with temporary accommodation. If you are uninsured or your landlord isn’t able to help, contact your friends and family to see whether they can help. If you are unable to find alternative accommodation, you can contact Bassetlaw District Council on 01909 533 533 for assistance.
- Avoid walking or driving through flood water. The latter can cause bow waves which cause greater damage.
How local agencies support during a flood response
Anglian Water, Severn Trent Water
The local sewer system and any flooding that may affect them. Let them know if you have any issues with sewer or surface water.
Bassetlaw District Council
Bassetlaw District Council works with the County Council, Environment Agency and other partners on the emergency response during a flood event. We may also be able to support anyone who has to leave their home due to flooding with temporary accommodation, or who has been affected by flooding from ordinary/minor watercourses.
Maintaining watercourses on or next to private land where landowners pay rates to the Drainage Board to look after the watercourse.
Any flooding issues impacting main rivers or reservoirs. They are responsible for managing the flooding and flood prevention associated with our main watercourses.
Maintaining watercourses on or next to private land (e.g. at the back of rural gardens), including keeping the watercourse clear of debris.
Nottinghamshire County Council - Lead Local Flood Authority
Any flooding affecting property or County Council roads or paths. This includes flood prevention on highways from surface or ground water.
Nottinghamshire Police, Fire and Rescue Services
Support with closing roads and helping in the immediate response to local flooding.
Parish or Town Council
Your local Parish or Town Council may provide flood support and should have a record of who your local Flood Warden is. Check with them for more information.
What to do after a flood
- Contact your insurance company and register your claim. Do not dispose of anything until told to do so.
- Get your electricity checked by a qualified electrician before you turn it back on.
- Flood water could be contaminated or contain sharp objects so always wear protective clothing, boots and rubber gloves when cleaning up.
- Take photos or videos and make a list of everything that has been damaged.
- Find out how to dispose of flood damaged items safely, once you have spoken to your insurance company.
Emergency flooding contacts
You should always contact the police or fire service on 999 if there is an immediate risk to life caused by flooding (101 for non-emergencies).
To report flooding
To report a flood or if your property is at risk of flooding from a reservoir or river, please contact the Environment Agency Floodline on 0345 988 1188.
If flooding is from the highway, please contact Nottinghamshire Highways on 0300 500 8080.
If flooding is caused by surface water, sewers or burst water mains, please contact Severn Trent Water on 0800 783 4444 or Anglian Water on
03457 145 145.
Where you can, please safely record the cause of flooding on your phone (e.g. blocked drains) to help address problems in the future.
Other utility contacts
Call 105 to report a power cut caused by flooding or get updates when your electricity has been cut off.
For gas emergencies, please call 0800 111 999.
Preparing for flooding contacts
Check for flooding to get the Environment Agency’s latest flood warnings and alerts.
Sign up to Nottinghamshire County Council’s flood bulletins. These bulletins provide advice and information on how to be prepared and describe the latest flooding situation in Nottinghamshire.
For further information and advice on how you and your community can prepare for flooding, contact Nottinghamshire County Council Emergency Planning via firstname.lastname@example.org or call 0300 500 80 80.
For advice on owning a waterside property and to understand your responsibilities, contact Nottinghamshire County Council’s Flood Risk Management team via email@example.com.
Last Updated on Friday, November 3, 2023