Flood management and further guidance
What the Council's doing to manage flood risk
Taking action on flood risk is vital to protect our most vulnerable communities. It also creates the opportunity for wider benefits. The borough’s rivers are a natural asset enjoyed by residents and nature alike.
Our flood risk management strategy sets out the Council’s plans to work with partners nationally, regionally and locally to create a greener and safer Lewisham.
We're taking long-term action to help protect homes, businesses and open spaces from flooding. By reducing the causes of flooding, it also prevents pollution from entering our rivers, keeps streets cooler in summer, protects local wildlife, and creates greener, more pleasant neighbourhoods.
Projects include:
- improving drainage systems to manage heavy rainfall
- restoring riverbanks and creating natural flood storage areas
- de-paving streets and other hard surfaces to absorb more rainwater, including using raingardens, permeable paving, and other types of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
- planting more trees, adding more green spaces, and improving existing spaces
- working with the Environment Agency, Thames Water, local community groups and others
- working as part of the Ravensbourne Catchment Partnership to deliver the Ravensbourne Catchment Action Plan
- installing new air quality and water monitoring stations across the borough
- supporting landowners help manage flooding directly by signposting them to Lewisham’s SuDS Design and Evaluation Guide
Flood risk management responsibilities
Landowners, homeowners and businesses
Know your responsibilities
If you're a landowner, homeowner or business, you're responsible for protecting your property from flooding; and rehousing tenants if your property becomes uninhabitable. If a watercourse (stream, river, ditch) runs through or borders your property, you're a 'riparian owner' and must:
- keep water flowing and clear blockages
- maintain banks, beds, and flood defences
- maintain structures like culverts, weirs and mill gates
- allow natural water flow from upstream to downstream
If a watercourse is the boundary between properties, each owner is normally responsible up to the centre of the watercourse.
Need to do work in or next to water?
If your property's next to a watercourse and you're considering development, see the River Corridors Improvement Plan SPD and our Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) page.
You’ll also need permission. Download Living on the Edge from the Environment Agency.
Get prepared:
- check your home or business for flood risk and sign up for free Environment Agency flood alerts to get warnings by phone, text, or email
- get flood protection tips and advice: Floodline 0345 988 1188
- see Protecting your home or business
Get insured
You can get:
- buildings insurance - to cover flood damage to buildings
- contents insurance - to cover damage to items, for example stock
- business interruption insurance - to cover running costs or losses, for example salaries or loss of profit
Get advice from the National Flood Forum on insurance for small businesses.
Flood Re works with insurers behind the scenes. When you buy home insurance cover, your insurer can choose to pass the flood risk element of your policy to Flood Re for a fixed price. If you make a valid claim for flooding, your insurer will pay the claim. Later on, Flood Re will reimburse that insurer from the Flood Re fund. In short, you buy home insurance in the usual way. Flood Re cover the flood risk and that helps to keep your premiums down. You can check your eligibility on the Flood Re website.
Tenants
If you're renting there's plenty you can do to prevent and prepare for flooding (see Protecting your home or business). You’re also responsible for notifying your landlord if there's a problem.
- ask your landlord what insurance they have as it may not cover your personal items
- if their insurance does not cover your personal items, you can get contents insurance
- read the How to rent guide by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, for more information about flooding and insurance
If your home becomes uninhabitable due to flooding, your Landlord is responsible for rehousing you. If they refuse and you are at risk of homelessness, contact the homelessness prevention service.
Lewisham Council responsibilities
The Council are responsible for managing the risk of flooding from:
- surface water - water flowing over the ground during and after rainfall
- groundwater - when water comes up from the ground
- ordinary watercourses - small watercourses and ditches
- public drains on public roads (except emergency/red routes managed by TfL)
When significant flooding events happen, we:
- investigate the event
- coordinate an emergency response
Our other responsibilities include:
- publishing and delivering Lewisham’s Local Flood Risk Management Strategy
- planning and delivering flood prevention works#
- keeping a register of assets that have a significant impact on flood risk
- consulting and advising on surface water drainage plans for developments
- approving sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) for new developments
- requiring developers to assess and reduce flood risks in planning applications
- protecting structures that help prevent flooding
- identifying third party features and assets which contribute to flood risk and notifying owners
Environment Agency responsibilities
- manages flooding from rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea
- protects important flood defences. Structures that help manage flooding cannot be changed or removed without their permission
- for advice during floods, contact Floodline | 0345 988 1188
Thames Water responsibilities
- fixes burst water mains and leaks
- provides, manages, and maintains sewers and drainage systems
- manages sewer flooding caused by rainwater
- to report a burst water main or public sewer flooding, call 0800 714 614
Transport for London responsibilities
- manages drainage on red routes (main roads)
- report flooding on red routes online to TfL or call 0343 222 1234