Report flooding and drainage on pavements and roads

Drainage on the highway

Highways drains, known as gullies, are situated at the edge of the road and take storm water from the highway into the sewer system.

Litter, leaves and silt from rain water can block gullies. We carry out around 114,500 gully cleansing operations each year to keep water flowing.

In periods of intense heavy rain, the groundwater level rises and sewers can reach capacity. This is usually a short term problem and water will drain away when the weather passes.

Maintenance of the sewer system is the responsibility of the local water company.

Reporting highways drainage issues

If you’ve noticed a highways gully is blocked, or its grates are missing or loose, report it to us.

To investigate, we will need to know:

  • an accurate location (including landmarks, nearby house numbers or road junctions)
  • a detailed description of the problem (e.g. blocked gully or missing grate).

Do not use this form to report large scale flooding or blocked household drains and make sure you do not put yourself or anyone else in danger when obtaining details about the fault.

Public sewers

Severn Trent Water and South Staffs Water own and manage the network of public sewers for both foul and surface water across Birmingham. To report an overflowing public sewer you should contact them directly.

How to use our reporting form

If you want to track progress on your enquiry, you can log in to, or register for a BRUM account.

1. Start your report

Look at the map to begin.

The map will show a 2-mile area around Birmingham city centre by default.

2. Find and plot the location

There are 2 ways to find the location.

  1. Use the "Search for a place" box
    Type a postcode or road name in the search box.
    If you know the property number, include it too.
  2. Manual search
    Explore the map and zoom in to mark the location.
    On the left side of the map, you will find the tools:
    • Zoom buttons. Use the plus and minus buttons to zoom in and out.
      Mobile users can also pinch to zoom.
    • Find my location circle. Use this to zoom to where you are right now
    To move around the map, click or tap and drag.

Click or tap the map to plot the location. A marker will appear.

3. Submit your report

Once you have plotted the location on the map, select "Submit new enquiry" to start the form.

If you're using an older browser such as Internet Explorer 10 or earlier, the map might not appear. Try using a newer browser for the best experience.

Page last updated: 14 May 2024

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