Flood prevention and information

Who is responsible, what we have been currently working on and ways to reduce your risk of flooding. 

Our responsibilities

Under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, Lambeth Council, as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) for the borough, has several statutory duties relating to the management of local flood risks. These include:

  • providing comments on new developments to the Local Planning Authority on matters related to the risk of flooding from surface water
  • providing comments on new developments to the Local Planning Authority on matters related to the management of surface water runoff
  • investigating and reporting major flooding incidents
  • managing local flood risk, defined as the risk of flooding from surface water, groundwater, and ordinary watercourses (this excludes main rivers like the Thames, and in fact, there are no ordinary watercourses in Lambeth)
  • producing and maintaining a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (PDF 3.1MB)
  • producing a Surface Water Management Plan (PDF 40.4MB)
  • consenting and enforcing works to maintain the flow of ordinary watercourses
  • working with other risk management authorities, for example, the Environment Agency, Thames Water and other boroughs

As highways authorities, the council and Transport for London have responsibilities for highway drainage. Issues on: