Bolton is not considered to be at high risk of river flooding events that would cause damage to residential properties. However, this does not mean we are not prepared for this type of hazard.
How does the Council prepare for flooding events?
The Civil Contingencies Team helps prepare for flooding events by:
• Receiving regular severe weather warnings from the Met Office and flood warnings from the Environment Agency.
• Receiving flood guidance statements and extreme rainfall alerts from the Flood Forecasting Centre
• Planning and participating in Greater Manchester Multi-Agency exercises to ensure we are prepared to respond to flooding emergencies.
• Putting in place a multi-agency flood plan for Bolton
Advice and information on flooding
A flood in your property could be caused by a variety of sources, such as:
• Burst water pipes
• Heavy rain causing sewers and drains to overflow and flood
• Heavy rain causing rivers and streams to flood
For advice on how you can prepare for a flood and what to do in the event of a flood please refer to the Environment Agency website in the links section of this page or the downloadable documents on what to do before, during and after a flood.
The Environment Agency Website also contains a flood map which you can use to work out if your property is at risk of river flooding.
Flood advice for householders
A flooding event could damage or destroy your property and flood water may contain sewerage and other contaminants which might be a risk to health. By planning ahead and taking precautions you can help reduce the impact that a flood may have on your household.
It is important that you and your family plan ahead so you all know what to do before a flood happens, what to do during a flooding event and what to do afterwards.
The Environment Agency website contains lots of information and advice about how you can prepare for floods. A link to the flooding section of the Environment Agency website can be found in the links section of this page.
Three useful documents from the Environment Agency explaining what to do before, during and after a flood can be downloaded directly from this page.
Flood advice for businesses
It is important that you have a plan for your business in place in case of a flood as a flooding event could cause major disruption to your business.
As part of your plans it is important that you and your employees know what to do before a flooding event, what to do during the flood and what to do afterwards. As well as following general advice and guidance on floods, businesses need to consider issues such as:
• Moving equipment and food stocks away from any area at risk of flooding
• Flood Insurance
• Compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• The need for a risk assessment if your premises are at risk of flooding
• Staff training and evacuation
• Food hygiene implications for food businesses
• Risk of rodent infestations as a result flood waters
• Electrical and gas safety
Simple preparations and planning ahead can help reduce the impact that a flooding event may have upon your business. The Business Link website contains a useful guide that explains how to assess the risks, how to protect your business and what to do after a flood. The Business Link website can be accessed on the links section of this page.
The Environment Agency has also produced a guide to preparing your business for floods. This guide, titled ‘Would your business stay afloat?’ can be found in the downloads section of this page. Also available is a link to the Environment Agency website pages on flood preparation guidance for businesses.
For further information and guidance on planning how your business will be maintained if an incident such as flooding occurs, please refer to the page ‘Civil Emergencies – Business Continuity’.