Protection of Property
The owner of the property is responsible for arranging and installing flood protection. If you know your property is at risk of flooding, taking the time to investigate and install appropriate protection for your property will be of great benefit, and one less thing to think about when the storms are on the horizon.
See the Tendring District Council Flood Directory for companies local and from further afield which can provide a range of products for your consideration. (under-development), or visit the National Flood Forum Blue Pages.
Tendring District Council does not endorse these products, but provides the link, in an effort to assist local residents and businesses explore the various options available.
Unsure? – Check it out, now – Be Prepared!
So how good are sandbags?
Sandbags are not the only answer! There’s a very wide selection of flood mitigation products available which will provide a much greater and reliable degree of protection. However these solutions should be considered before weather is forecast that may result in flooding of your property.
Although sandbags may be a cheaper alternative to other more modern flood mitigation products, the protection they offer is limited. Even when well-stacked and trodden into place, they may keep water out for a short period of time but eventually water will seep through.
Fitting items such as non-return valves on plumbing, purchasing air-brick cover and an appropriate type of flood board would be more effective. Also following a flood these items can be disinfected and prepared to re-use. Once a sandbag has been deployed and in contact with floodwater, it should be considered as contaminated and disposed of accordingly.
Who can I get sandbags from?
Tendring District Council has a sandbag policy which is reviewed on an annual basis. The current policy is that sandbags will only be issued in response to flooding on receipt of a request from the Emergency Services.
If you opt for sandbags as flood protection for your property, they can be obtained from local builders merchants such as :
Silverton Aggregates 01255 222699 / 01255 851777
Agrimix 01206 231935
What about Flooding for Rivers and the Sea?
The Environment Agency is responsible for managing the flood risk from the Rivers and the Sea. They offer a free service, Floodline Warning Direct, where you can:
- Find out if you are at risk of flooding from rivers and / or the sea;
- Register to receive Flood Warnings to landlines, mobile phones as a voice message and / or an SMS message, or email
- Find out what warnings are in force
The Environment Agency maintains the flood defences in most areas along rivers and coastline.
REPORT IT!
If you notice a problem with the defences, or flooding occurring from rivers and the sea report it to: Environment Agency Incident Hotline 0800 80 70 60
What about Surface Water Flooding?
No single organisation is responsible for issuing specific warnings for surface water flooding. However the Flood Forecasting Centre, a joint operation between the Environment Agency and the Met Office, use weather forecasts combined with hydrology, to make risk assessments on the LIKELIHOOD and IMPACT of all types of flooding, including surface water flooding. This information is sent out to responding organisations at least twice a day and more frequently during severe weather.
How do I found out if I am at risk from Surface Water flooding?
Surface water flood mapping is available, on the GOV.uk website or you can visit the ECC flooding website. However, local knowledge is quite often the best and by contacting your local Parish or Town Council, they may be able to inform you of the local known “hotspots” for surface water flooding.
What about other types of flooding?
The Lead Local Flood Authority, (LLFA) covering the Tendring District is Essex County Council. They are responsible for managing flood risk from:
- Groundwater flooding - caused when heavy or prolonged rainfall makes the groundwater table rise above its normal level;
- Ordinary watercourses (streams and ditches) - channels which cannot contain large volumes of surface water runoff during or after heavy rain; and
- Surface water (rainfall) runoff - flows from, or over, surfaces such as roads, roofs and patios that cannot easily absorb water.
Following a flooding incident, if property has been damaged by surface water flooding, the LLFA will be able to investigate the cause of the flooding and where possible recommend solutions.
REPORT IT!
To make a report to the LLFA: floods@essex.gov.uk
What happens when flooding is predicted?
If the Environment Agency (EA) issue a Severe Flood Warning, the information will be assessed by Essex Police and Tendring District Council, with advice from the EA, to ascertain whether evacuation of the “at risk” properties is required.
A public information message will be agreed between these organisations advising the public of what may be happening.
Tendring District Council, (TDC), will look to open one or more of their designated Rest Centres or an alternative to provide Emergency Accommodation for those affected, until they can either return safely to their home or arrangements are made via insurance companies, or the TDC Housing Services for either short, medium or even long term alternative housing arrangements.
Can I get insurance?
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published a guidance document on Obtaining Flood Insurance in High Risk Areas.
Basically, who do I call if my property is being flooded?
If it’s a burst water main: Affinity Water 0845 782 3333 / 0800 376 5325
If it’s from the sewer system: Anglian Water 08457 145 145
If it’s from the road: ECC Highways 0345 603 7631
If it’s from any other source or you are unsure: Tendring District Council Careline 01255 222022
Flood Risk Management? Who is responsible for what?
