Seaham residents are being encouraged to get involved in a community-led initiative to reduce the risk of flooding.
As part of its surface water management programme, Rainwise, Northumbrian Water is investigating potential flood risk in the area.
More people, more hard surfaces and more rain mean the sewer network is being put under increasing pressure.
Managing the speed and the amount of surface water (rainwater from roofs, roads and other hard surfaces) that enters the sewer network can help to reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rainfall.
Residents are being inspired to get ‘rainwise’ too - by attaching water butts to roof guttering, growing plants and shrubs and using less water around the home to free up space within the pipes.
Northumbrian Water are also looking for information about any local surface water issues customers may have experienced. This will help the company explore any potential flood risk management projects in the area in future.
Northumbrian Water’s community vehicle "Flo" will be parked along Terrace Green, Seaham, SR7 7EU (near to the "Tommy" sculpture) from 10.00am until 2.00pm on Thursday May 4, 2017 for residents to find out more about the initiative and share their flooding experiences.
Customers can also share their views and experiences on Northumbrian Water’s community website at www.nwlcommunityportal.co.uk.
Project Manager for the scheme, Loren Jennings, said: "We know having your home or business flooded can be a devastating experience so we’re taking steps to try and reduce the risk of it occurring in future.
"By having a better understanding of any surface water issues in the area, we can explore opportunities to reduce the risk of flooding before it has even happened.
"We’re encouraging residents to visit us on-board "Flo" and share their views. We also want to raise awareness about the small changes that our customers can make at home and in their garden, that can help to reduce their own flood risk. If lots of people do something, the results will really add up."