Householders or property owner s in the borough that have experienced flooding in their home or business are asked to let the Council know via a new online reporting tool.
The Council has launched a new ongoing data collection exercise to gather information about properties in the borough that flood. Flooding could have been caused by heavy rainfall, burst pipes, groundwater, sewer failure, blocked gullies or proximity to the river. Flooding could have been a ‘one-off’ or an unfortunate regular occurrence.
The information will be used to help the Council work with other authorities and agencies to prepare for and manage future flood risks in the borough.
The survey looks at:
- What type of property it is?
- Where the flooding occurred
- What caused the flooding
- What was the extent of the flooding?
Cllr Julia Neden-Watts, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, said:
“We want to make sure our residents and businesses are protected as much as possible against the damaging effects of floods. We will work with other agencies to make our Flood Management Strategy as joined-up and robust as it can be.
“To help us do this, I would urge people who live or run a business in Richmond to help us understand the scale of the issue.”
Residents are also urged to make sure they know what they need to do to protect their home from flooding. According to the Environment Agency, the average cost of flooding to a home is around £30,000. Flooding also brings significant risk to life. The mental health impacts of flooding can last for two years or more after flooding has happened. Depression, anxiety and PTSD can affect up to a third of people who have been flooded.
If you have previously been impacted by flooding, let us know here www.richmond.gov.uk/report_instances_of_flooding
– from a Richmond Council press release - 9 November 2020