Flooding can happen suddenly and with little warning. You can still be affected even if

• your area hasn’t flooded before
• you don’t live near a river
• you stay in a flat above ground level

Flooding can lead to:

• blocked roads
• disrupted or cancelled public transport
• school and community buildings closing
• loss of water, gas or electricity
• difficulty reaching family and friends who rely on you

For the latest road closures caused by flooding, see our closures page.

Your responsibilities

If you're a property owner, you are legally responsible for protecting your own land and property. You should take reasonable steps to protect and insure your home or business against flooding.

Several organisations share the responsibility for managing flood risk in Scotland. SEPA explains who does what.

What we do to reduce flood risk

We will:

• investigate the causes of flooding
• give advice
• carry out work to reduce the chance of it happening again
• assess and maintain watercourses as required by Sections 18 and 59 of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009
• monitor weather conditions and raise awareness of flood risk
• send out automatic alerts to our out-of-hours staff and key groups when water levels rise
• provide out-of-hours staff to support local people, especially those who are vulnerable
• work alongside emergency services

Sandbags and flood pods

We may be able to supply sandbags if your property is at immediate risk of flooding. Supplies are limited.

When demand is high, we will prioritise properties considered at greatest risk. We cannot guarantee to meet every request.

You can buy empty sandbags from most DIY stores. Some communities also have flood pods stocked with flood sacks for local residents to use.

Report a flooding or drainage problem

Tell us about flooding or a blocked drain on a road or pavement through our online form.