Report standing water

Find out how to report water that is collecting on the road, pavement, or verge and is not draining away.

Standing water can hide road defects and create hazards.

If you see standing water collecting on the road, pavement, or verge, you can tell us using our online reporting form.

Our online reporting form takes around 3 to 5 minutes to complete. 

How we assess reports

Please tell us:

  • the location of the standing water
  • extent of issue
  • photographs if available

If you are reporting an emergency that requires immediate attention, please call us on 0300 373 3306. An emergency on the highway is defined as something that is very likely to present an imminent threat to life, serious injury or serious damage to property. Our team will assess the severity of your report and escalate accordingly.

Investigatory levels

We will usually investigate where:

  • water covers a significant area
  • vehicles must alter course
  • spray affects visibility
  • repeated flooding occurs
  • loss of control may result

What happens after you submit a report

We will inspect the location and investigate the cause.

How we prioritise repairs

We assess defects using our Highway Condition and Safety Inspection Procedure and classify them as:

  • Emergency Defect – we will make the defect safe as quickly as possible, usually within 2 hours
  • High Priority Defect – we will repair the defect within 5 working days
  • Standard Priority Defect – we will repair the defect within 20 working days
  • Monitor Only – we will record the defect and continue to monitor it through future inspections

We carry out a site-specific risk assessment for every defect before deciding what action to take. This means a defect that meets an investigatory level may not always require immediate repair.

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