Flooding
The Oxfordshire flood toolkit gives information and advice, including how to take action against the potential menace posed by flooding.
View Oxfordshire flood toolkit
Report flooding
Call 999 for immediate assistance if there is a risk to life or a risk of serious property or environmental damage.
As well as contacting the relevant bodies listed below, please report all flooding incidents to:
- either the County Council emergency response team or
- the District Council emergency response team.
The County and District engineering teams will then also be made aware of the issue for future reference and action.
| To report | Contact | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| Burst water main | Thames Water | General enquiries: 0845 9200 800 24-hour leakline: 0800 714 614 Website: Thames Water |
| Roads, blocked gullies, gratings and drains | Oxfordshire County Council | 0845 3101111 (24 hrs) Website: Oxfordshire County Council |
| Main rivers | Environment Agency | General enquiries: 08708 506 506 Incident hotline: 0800 807 060 Website: Environment Agency |
| Other watercourses such as a stream or ditches | Riparian owner | Contact the riparian owner Fill in our flooding online form Call 01993 861000 |
Prepare for flooding
The Environment Agency offers a free service that sends flood warnings direct to your phone, mobile, email or fax. Sign up at:
- Environment Agency website or
- Call 0845 9881188
Protect your home from flooding
For useful information on how to prepare for a flood:
- Visit: GOV.UK
- Visit: Environment Agency
- Download the Environment Agency's leaflet - Preparing your property for flooding
- Download the Environment Agency & Public Health England's guide: Flooding - advice for the public
- download and complete a flood plan
For details of where to get flood protection products and services get the Blue Pages directory from:
If you are affected by flooding and are in need of temporary accommodation, please call us on 01993 861000.
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 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)
- Northmoor: Village Hall, Church Road (location map)
- Shipton-under-Wychwood: The New Beaconsfield Hall and Recreation Ground, Station Road (location map)
- Standlake: St Giles Church, Downs Road (location map)
Building a sandbag wall
Sandbags are 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 and use the sandbags to hold the plastic in place. Sandbags are only effective for water up to about 20cm/8" deep.
- See: Building a sandbag wall videoclip
- Download: Sandbags and how to use them properly for flood protection (Environment Agency)
Make your own sandbags
You can use the following as sandbags:
- bin liners or carrier bags filled with soil
- grow bags are the right shape and light enough to be carried around
- buy products that inflate from the National Flood Forum directory (see Protect your home from flooding section above).
Property owners/occupiers should reuse or dispose of their own sandbags once the risk of flooding has subsided:
- Empty and dry the sacks so they can be used again
- Dig the sand into the garden to help with drainage.
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.
- 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 the Environment Agency & Public Health England's guide: Flooding - advice for the public
- Visit GOV.UK's webpage: Prepare for a flood and get help during and after
For health related queries:
- Visit: Public Health England
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 as it will only come straight back in. See:
