How to report flooding

Who you need to contact depends on where the flooding is coming from:

If there is an immediate risk to life dial 999.

Rivers and the Sea – Environment Agency - 0800 80 70 60

Sewers and water mains – Anglian Water - 03457 145 145

Surface water/flash flooding and flooding on the highway should be reported to Suffolk County Council.

Reporting flooding on the highway to Suffolk County Council:

It is important that any flooding that is deemed to be dangerous to either private property, the highway or any of its users is phoned through to Suffolk County Council on 0345 606 6171 so that it can be immediately assessed and action taken quickly. This number is available 24 hours a day.

Other flooding should be reported using Suffolk County Council's online Highways Reporting Tool.  Click on Report It, then click Drainage and Flooding and select the most appropriate drop down option. Where possible photographs should be submitted with the report particularly in cases of drainage or flooding problems, as in many cases, the flood water will have subsided by the time their teams attend.  

Once a report has been submitted, highways officers will contact the resident to gather further information and prioritise those locations that meet the criteria for an official investigation (known as a Section 19 Investigation). It is anticipated that this initial contact will be made during the next week after the flood. Investigations will follow, but until the scale of the challenge is determined it is difficult to estimate how long it will take to complete this task.

Any report logged via Suffolk County Council’s reporting tool will generate a site visit from one of their Highways Assessment Officers. Although they do triage incoming reports, anything logged with them out of hours will not be picked up until the next working day which will lead to a delay in attendance.

All reports are assessed and the sites visited, but it is vital that they are logged in the correct way so that Suffolk County Council can respond in a timely manner and that reports are assigned to the most appropriate team within Suffolk Highways:

Other information about flooding:

The National Flood Forum has advice about how to prepare for flooding, provides independent assistance for those who suffer the consequences and support to protect homes at risk.

To check the flood risk for your home, search the Environment Agency flood risk maps

Read further advice and information to find out more about flood management in Suffolk.

If you experience difficulties obtaining home insurance, a new scheme has been set up called Flood Re.