Flood investigations section 19
Since the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, councils appointed as lead local flood authorities (LLFA) have duties under Section 19. They must investigate flood incidents and events.
Harrow, as an LLFA has produced a flood investigation report. This includes:
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On becoming aware of a flood in its area, an LLFA must, to the extent that it considers it necessary or appropriate, investigate:
a) which risk management authorities have relevant flood risk management functions
b) whether each of those risk management authorities has exercised, or is proposing to exercise, those functions in response to the flood.
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Where an authority carries out an investigation under subsection (1) it must:
a) publish the results of its investigation
b) notify any relevant risk management authorities.
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The LLFA threshold that deem a flood event is significant and would need a section 19 flood investigation are set out below:
- if caused internal flooding to five or more residential properties, or
- flooded two or more business premises, or
- flooded one or more items of critical infrastructure, or
- caused a transport link to be totally impassable for a significant period. "Significant period" depends on the affected transport link as follows. (Highway categories are in Table 1 of the UKRLG Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance.)
- Category 1 highways (motorways) and major rail links – two hours or more.
- Category 2 and 3a highways and other railway links – four hours or more.
- Category 3b and 4a highways – 10 hours or more.
- Category 4b highways – 24 hours or more.