The Environment Agency has today published a major update to national flood and coastal erosion risk assessment showing 6.3 million properties across England are in areas at risk of flooding from one or a combination of rivers, the sea and surface water.

The Met Office has confirmed that more than double the average amount of rainfall for September has fallen in a matter of days, leaving surface water and river flooding affecting large counties such as Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

The Environment Agency is warning that heavy rainfall forecast over the next 24 hours across the country means significant river and surface water flooding is possible across central England.

The Environment Agency is warning that heavy rain and thunderstorms expected today could lead to significant surface water flooding across parts of the country.

Southern Water is paying for new driveways in an Isle of Wight village so homes and local drains and sewers are protected from deluges of surface water following heavy rain.

CIWEM has issued a new Sustainable Drainage Position Statement which is calling for no loss of government commitment and greater leadership on SuDS.

The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is warning that the Government response to the Commission’s study on reducing the risks of surface water flooding published in November 2022. “does not meet the scale of the challenge and lacks the urgency required to meet the threat.”

In a report published today, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is warning that shortfalls in Environment Agency funding are responsible for the deteriorating state of England’s flood defences.

Southern Water’s is reporting that its pathfinder project to slow the flow of rainwater into sewers and cut storm overflows in Deal is starting to see some good early results.

Southern Water is still feeling the effects of heavy rainfall across the region this autumn – the water company is continuing to tackle the challenge of record rainfall and high groundwater levels this winter.