Flooding

SANDBAG INFORMATION - see lower down this page.

Call 999 for immediate assistance if there is a risk to life or a risk of serious property or environmental damage.

Also see:

Reporting flooding:

Burst water main
Contact Thames Water - www.thameswater.co.uk

General enquiries - 0845 9200 800
24-hour leakline - 0800 714 614

Roads, blocked gullies, gratings and drains
Contact Oxfordshire County Council - www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/flooding

0845 3101111 (24 hrs)

Main rivers
Contact the Environment Agency -
www.environment-agency.gov.uk

General enquiries - 08708 506 506
Incident hotline - 0800 807 060

Other watercourses such as a stream or ditches
Contact the riparian owner or contact us:

Complete our Flooding online form or
Call 01993 861000

Prepare for flooding:

Flood warnings
The Environment Agency offers a free service that sends flood warnings direct to your phone, mobile, email or fax. Sign up at:

www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodline or
Call 0845 9881188

Protect your home from flooding
For useful information on how to prepare for a flood:

Visit: www.direct.gov.uk
Visit: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood
Download the Environment Agency's leaflet - Preparing your property for flooding
Download and Complete a flood plan

Flood protection products
The National Flood Forum produce a directory of flood protection products and services called the 'Blue Pages'. It gives details of what a product does and where it can be obtained.

www.floodforum.org.uk

Sandbags
When there is an imminent risk of flooding, sandbags are given out free of charge. We will deliver sandbags to the elderly or disabled at times of need.

To arrange collection of ready-made sandbags from Witney call:

01993 861000
In an emergency out of hours call: 0845 3039706

In an emergency loose sand and bags are available for householders to make up themselves at the following neighbourhood sandbag centres:

Ascott-under-Wychwood: Car park next to A-U-W village hall, Shipton Road (location map)
Burford: The Rec Car Park, Tanners Lane (location map)
Charlbury: Charlbury Bowls Club, Ticknell Piece Road (location map)
Clanfield: Car park next to the Carter Institute, Main Road (location map)
Milton-under-Wychwood: Car park next to M-U-W village hall, Shipton Road (location map)
Shipton-under-Wychwood: The New Beaconsfield Hall and Recreation Ground, Station Road
Chipping Norton: District Council Depot, Greystones, A361 (location map)
Woodstock: WODC Depot, Union Street (location map)

Sandbags are simply cloth bags that hold sand or soil so that a low wall can be built to dam the flow of water. Lay plastic sheeting under and around the wall to make it more water tight. Hold the plastic in place using sandbags.

See: Building a sandbag wall videoclip

Bin liners or carrier bags filled with soil will also serve or 'grow bags' are the right shape and light enough to be carried around easily. Alternatively, visit your local DIY store or you can buy products that inflate from the National Flood Forum directory (see 'flood protection products' above).

Property owners /occupiers are responsible for disposing their own sandbags once the risk of flooding has subsided - if emptied and dried, the sacks can be used again. The sand can be dug into the garden to assist in soil drainage.

Sandbags are only effective for water up to about 20cm/8" deep.

Travel during flooding

Walking: Do not walk through flooded areas - there may be hidden dangers such as open drains, damaged road surfaces, submerged debris or deep channels.

Transport and travel: Do not try to drive through flooded roads or fords - the water is often deeper than it looks and your vehicle may be swept away or you may become stranded.

For the latest travel and transport information visit:

Oxfordshire County Council - for road closures, travel and emergency information.
BBC Oxford Travel News - for traffic and travel across Oxfordshire.
Stagecoach - for local bus services updates.
First Great Western and Chiltern Railways - for updates on rail services.

Clearing up after a flood

For useful information download our leaflet:

Flooding: Clean-up advice

Do not re-enter your house until all floodwater has been removed. The fire service may be able to help you with pumping floodwater out of your house but if the water is still rising, there is no point pumping out - it will only come straight back in! See: