During and after a flood

Advice and support for after flooding

Below are links to further information and advice for after a flood.

Flooding: health guidance and advice - GOV.UK 

Health advice and precautions for cleaning up your flooded home - GOV.UK 

Disposal of sandbags

Sand bags tend to retain contaminants such as sewage and oils when they come into contact with floodwater. Ensure you wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly when handling.  There are a number of ways you can dispose of used sandbags:

• At your local reuse and recycling site 
• Empty the sand from the bag and keep the sand (for garden or other uses) and place the bags in your normal waste bin
• Empty the sand from the bag, take the sand to your local reuse and recycling centre and place the bags in your normal waste

If sand bags did come into contact with flood water you should inform the staff of this when you take them to your local reuse and recycling centre.

Unused sand bags can be kept in a dry shady place so they can be used again if needed in the future.  Sacking material is normally biodegradable and will perish if left in place for a long time. It is therefore advisable to empty sacks and keep them dry for re-use. Store the sand in your garden, or yard for future use.

Don't

• Dump rubbish into ditches as this may end up blocking trash screens
• Sweep rubbish and leaves into  gullies/drains and this blocks them

Useful links:

Croydon Council highways

Email: highwaysmaintenance@croydon.gov.uk

Phone number:  020 8726 6000

Environment Agency:

     Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency

     EA flooding web pages

     Environment Agency Floodline - 0345  988 1188

     Sign up to the free groundwater Flood Alert/Warning registering online

     Twitter - @EnvAgency

     Facebook - www.facebook.com/environmentagency

Met Office: 

     Website: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

        Twitter - @metoffice

     Facebook - https://en-gb.facebook.com/metoffice

Transport information:

     Transport for London - twitter @TfLOfficial

     National Rail - twitter @nationalrailenq

     National Rail - service disruptions

     Highways Agency - twitter @highwaysagency

Other agencies:

 NHS ‘111’ for non-urgent health concerns

     Tandridge District Council - twitter @TandridgeDC

     Surrey County Council - twitter @surreyCountyCouncil

     Sutton & East Surrey Water 24hr Emergency Line - 01737 772000 twitter @SESWater

     Thames Water Sewer Flooding 0845 9200 800 twitter @thameswater

     Thames Water flooding advice

     UK Power Networks (emergencies and power cuts) - 0800 783 8866 or 0124 350 8866 twitter @UKPowerNetworks

     National Grid (Gas emergency) - 0800 111 999 twitter @nationalgriduk

    Food Standards Agency 020 7276 8829 for food safety