To report flooding due to blocked stormwater drains call us and we will arrange to have the drains cleared.
Flood and heavy rain warnings
Council has a standard storm response protocol which kicks into action whenever we get a heavy rain warning. Here's what we do...
Before the rain arrives
Our contractors check and clear debris from over 100 stormwater grates at 60 specified locations around the city. There are also 36 beach and dune stormwater outlets that are checked as part of this process.
After the rain these checks are done again to unblock any debris that is leftover from the storm.
During the storm
Our staff keep a close watch on conditions during every heavy weather event. Every call from the public is logged and requests are sent to contractors so they can respond where they are needed. A team of council staff is on standby, ready to help if the situation gets worse.
If you have concerns about flooding in your street phone us – we are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If it is an emergency, phone 111.
Planning for flooding
Keep an eye on the road gutters in your own area. Clearing the gutter of leaves and debris before and after each heavy rain event can stop flooding from happening.
If you do sweep up leaves and debris, please make sure they don’t wash back into the drains as this causes blockages and potential flooding issues.
We respond to flooding emergencies as soon as we can. However, if the flooding is widespread we might not be able to meet your needs immediately in an emergency.
You can do the following things to prepare for heavy rain and flooding.
- Keep your roof gutters clean and in good order.
- Check your drainpipes regularly to clear blockages and make sure they work well.
- If your property has flooded in the past, consider keeping a supply of sandbags to prevent future flooding
- If your internal or private drains are overflowing, this is your responsibility and you will need a private drainage contractor to deal with the blockage.