Surface water flooding
Surface water means rainfall before it enters the underground drainage systems, plus groundwater and ordinary watercourses.
The Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) (PDF) follows on from the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment, increasing the council’s understanding of the causes, probability and consequences of surface water flooding. It details surface water flooding issues on a local level, primarily concerning the health, safety and wellbeing of Portsmouth residents and businesses. It does not include extremely localised flooding caused by infrastructure failure, such as a gutter drain blocked by leaves.
The SWMP has allowed us to identify and prioritise the areas at greatest risk. The work that comes from the SWMP and later the Local Flooding Risk Management Strategy will be focused on, but not limited to, reducing the flood risks in the fourteen hotspot areas.
Drains in the gutters at the side of the road, known as gullies, can overflow in times of heavy rainfall. Gullies may not appear to be coping with heavy rainfall, but do allow some time for water to subside and then, if the drainage does not improve, contact the city helpdesk on 023 9283 4092.