Floods and drainage

Emergency Numbers

Scottish Water: 0800 077 8778

Floodline Scotland: 0345 988 1188

Aberdeen City Council Emergency Response Team: 03000 200 292

Aberdeen City Council Housing Repair Emergency (internal flooding/sewer backing up): 0800 111 999

Inforgraphic from water safety scotland saying not to walk through flood water

6 inches of flood water is enough to knock over an adult

https://www.watersafetyscotland.org.uk/advice-hub/weather-safety/flooding/

Risk of Flooding

Our community is not at risk from coastal, river or groundwater flooding. In times of high rainfall we have a localised risk for surface water flooding.

It is your responsibility to protect yourself, your family, property or business but help is available and many organisations work together to reduce the risk of flooding. Being aware of your risk is the first step to preparing for flooding.

Visit the Scottish Environment Protection Agency website and use your postcode to view the areas most at risk of surface flooding.

SEPA flood maps: https://map.sepa.org.uk/floodmaps

Black and grey storm clouds over a residential area

Storm clouds over Stockethill

SEPA Floodline

Floodline provides live flooding information and advice on how to prepare for or cope with the impacts of flooding 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sign up and get notified when the area you live, work or travel through is at risk of flooding.

Prepare for Flooding: https://beta.sepa.scot/flooding/prepare-for-flooding/

Preventing flooding

Drain related flooding can occur when street drains are blocked by leaves in the autumn and winter.

View of a street drain grate. A brush is visable, having cleared leaves to the side.

You can help prevent flooding by keeping the drain grates in or near your property free of leaves. This is best done as a preventative exercise, before rain is forecast.

This video from Lancashire County Council demonstrates how to clear leaves from a drain grate.

Please only clear leaves from on street drains if it can be done safely from the footpath.
Watch out for passing traffic.
Wear a hi vis vest to be seen.
Do not enter already flooded areas: grates and manhole covers can be lifted by flood waters leaving hazardous uncovered drains.

Aberdeen City Council Property Level Protection flood grant

Aberdeen City Council is running a 75% funded grant scheme to help with the cost of protecting properties from flooding. The grant will only apply for those residential and commercial properties that meet at least one of the following criteria:

The property has been internally flooded previously and actual damage has been sustained;
The property is located on an area in risk of flooding shown on the SEPA flooding maps;
The property is located on an area in risk of flooding shown on the Integrated Catchment Study Model.

See here for more information: https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/environment/information-about-flooding/property-level-protection-flood-grant

Be Prepared For Flooding 4pp.pdf

Aberdeen City Council "Be Prepared for Flooding" leaflet

Heavy rain can result in flash flooding which clears quickly

Reporting a drainage problem on the street

Defective drainage in the street must be reported to Scottish Water.

Scottish Water are responsible for all drainage, sewers and water supply outside the bounds of a property, except street drains.

Blocked street drains can be reported to the Aberdeen City Council Roads service.

Drainage problems on private property

Drainage serving a property is the joint responsibility of all owners.

If you are a council tenant or you live in a block of flats where the majority are Council owned, you can report issues of defective drainage to the Aberdeen City Council Housing Repairs service.

If you are an owner occupier or a private tenant you can report defective drainage to the Environmental Health service and an officer will investigate within 2 days.

Water Mains Flooding

Localised flooding is also possible due to burst water mains.

All problems with water mains should be reported directly to Scottish Water,

A drain is overflowing and water is running down the street

A burst water main led to this overflowing drain and water flowing down Foresterhill Road in otherwise dry weather.

This portion of our website has been funded by a 2024 community council grant from the National Centre for Resilience.