Surface Water Flooding

Surface Water flooding can occur very rapidly when heavy rainfall beats the capacity of the drainage system to cope. Often it is the very intense thunder storms which occur in the summer that cause these incidents. They are very difficult to accurately predict. We are currently working on Surface Water Management Plans to identify areas at risk of surface water flooding as part of our legal duties under the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 (Statutory Instrument No. 3042) and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. These will be published when approved but we are able to provide some information for inspection at the Town Hall Annex by appointment only.

 

It is impractical to make a drainage system which can cope with any storm and the law recognises this fact. As the Land Drainage Authority, the Council has many legal powers to carry out works to install or improve the system of land drainage or make other owners carry out their obligations but it does not have a duty to do so.

The Council does have a duty to develop, maintain, apply and monitor a strategy for local flood risk management in its area which must comply with a national strategy. Also the Council “On becoming aware of a flood in its area, a lead local flood authority must, to the extent that it considers it necessary or appropriate, investigate” any reported flooding - See the Flood and Water Management Act 2010|.

 

 

 

Contact Us

In emergency:

  (01202) 451199 (during normal office hours)

  (01202) 451145 (outside normal office hours)

 

For general information:

  (01202) 451380

  flooding@bournemouth.gov.uk|