Section 19 • Councils, LLFAs & Property Owners

Independent Flood Investigations

Independent flood investigations for Lead Local Flood Authorities, councils and property owners — establishing the source, mechanism and cause of flooding, including Section 19 investigations under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

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Section 19 investigations
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Independent & impartial
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Ex-LLFA experience
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Source & mechanism determined
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England & Wales
Aerial view of the River Severn in flood
The River Severn in flood — the kind of event a Section 19 investigation examines · Photo: TCExplorer (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Independent Flood Investigations for LLFAs & Councils

When flooding affects homes, businesses or land, someone has to establish what happened, why, and who is responsible for putting it right. We carry out independent flood investigations for Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs), councils and private property owners — determining the source, mechanism and cause of a flooding incident and setting out clear, evidence-based recommendations.

Under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, LLFAs have a duty to investigate flooding incidents in their area — establishing which risk management authorities have relevant flood risk management functions, and whether they have or intend to exercise them. We provide the independent technical capacity to carry out these investigations and produce robust Section 19 reports, whether you need extra resource at peak times or an impartial third party for a contentious incident.

Having worked inside a Lead Local Flood Authority (Leicestershire County Council), we understand exactly how these investigations are scoped, evidenced and reported — and we've delivered independent flood investigations for authorities including Bristol City Council.

What We Investigate

✓ Source of flooding — river, surface water, groundwater, sewer or a combination

✓ Mechanism and flow route — how water reached the property and why

✓ Historic flooding and records review (Environment Agency, LLFA, water company)

✓ Site inspection and evidence gathering

✓ Roles and responsibilities of the relevant risk management authorities

✓ A Section 19 report or bespoke investigation report with recommendations

Discuss a Flood Investigation
Sources of flooding examined in a flood investigation
A flood investigation identifies the source, mechanism and cause — and who is responsible

When a Flood Investigation Is Needed

Independent investigation and reporting — for authorities and property owners alike.

Section 19 investigations (LLFAs)

Fulfilling the statutory duty to investigate significant flooding incidents under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, with a formal, publishable Section 19 report.

Flooding complaints & disputes

Independent determination of cause and responsibility where residents, developers or authorities disagree about the source of flooding.

Post-flood incident review

Establishing what happened after a flood event, what failed, and what measures would reduce the risk of it happening again.

Property & garden flooding

Investigations for homeowners and businesses to establish cause and liability, and to support insurance claims or remedial drainage works.

What a Section 19 Investigation Report Contains

A clear, publishable record of a flooding incident — and who is responsible for what.

For a significant flooding incident, a Section 19 investigation establishes and reports the full picture. Our reports set out what happened and when, which properties and areas were affected, and the source and mechanism of the flooding. Crucially, they identify which risk management authorities have relevant flood risk management functions, whether those functions have been or are intended to be exercised, and what should be done to reduce the risk of it happening again.

The incident & its impact

What happened, when, how many properties flooded internally, and which roads, land and critical infrastructure were affected — built from site inspection and resident, authority and water-company records.

Source, mechanism & responsibilities

The dominant source (river, surface water, groundwater, sewer or a combination), how the water reached the properties, and which risk management authorities — the EA, LLFA, water and sewerage companies, highway authorities, district councils or IDBs — have relevant functions.

Recommendations

Practical, prioritised recommendations for reducing future risk, and a clear record that satisfies the authority's Section 19 duty and can be published with confidence.

Working with local authorities: we act as additional resource when your team is stretched, and as an independent third party where an incident is contentious or where the authority itself may be one of the risk management authorities involved — so the investigation is, and is seen to be, impartial.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Section 19 flood investigation?
Under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, a Lead Local Flood Authority must investigate flooding incidents in its area to the extent it considers necessary — establishing which risk management authorities have relevant functions and whether they have exercised, or intend to exercise, them. The findings are set out in a published Section 19 report.
Do you carry out investigations for councils and LLFAs?
Yes. We provide independent technical capacity for Lead Local Flood Authorities and councils — carrying out flood investigations and producing Section 19 or bespoke reports, either as additional resource at busy times or as an impartial third party. We've delivered investigations for authorities including Bristol City Council.
Can you investigate flooding to a single property or garden?
Yes. We investigate flooding affecting individual homes, businesses and gardens — determining the source and mechanism and providing an evidence-based report that can support insurance claims, drainage disputes or remedial works.
What does a flood investigation involve?
Typically a site inspection, a review of historic flooding and records (Environment Agency, LLFA and water company data), an assessment of the likely source and flow mechanism, and a report setting out the cause and recommended actions.
How much does a flood investigation cost?
It depends on the scale and complexity — a single-property investigation is very different from a catchment-wide Section 19 investigation. Send us the details and we'll provide a fixed-fee quote.
When must an LLFA carry out a Section 19 investigation?
A Lead Local Flood Authority must investigate when it becomes aware of a flood in its area, to the extent it considers it necessary or appropriate. In practice this usually means significant incidents — where properties have flooded internally, critical infrastructure or access has been affected, or there is a risk to life. Many authorities set a trigger threshold in their local strategy.
Who are the 'risk management authorities'?
Under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 they include the Environment Agency, the Lead Local Flood Authority, water and sewerage companies, highway authorities, district and borough councils, and internal drainage boards. A key part of a Section 19 investigation is establishing which of these have relevant functions for the incident in question.
Can you investigate where the council itself may be responsible?
Yes — that's exactly where independent investigation is most valuable. Because we're a wholly independent consultancy with no stake in the outcome, we can investigate and report impartially even where the LLFA, highway authority or another arm of the council may be one of the authorities with relevant functions.

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