Gullies, drains and sandbags | Gullies, drains and sandbags

Road gullies and drains help rainwater drain away from roads and reduce the risk of flooding.

Find out how we maintain road gullies, when to report a blockage or damage, and what to do if you need sandbags.

How we maintain road gullies

Oldham has more than 47,500 road gullies.

We inspect and clean gullies across the borough as part of a regular maintenance programme, where access allows.

Working to a planned schedule helps us visit gullies efficiently and keep water draining away from roads.

We only accept reports of blocked road gullies when they are putting a property at risk of flooding.

If a blocked gully is putting your property at risk, contact our gully team:

If a blocked gully is not putting a property at risk of flooding, it will be dealt with through our regular maintenance programme.

If a road gully or manhole is damaged, you can report it using our online form.

If you own your home or rent from a private landlord, the homeowner is responsible for keeping drains within the property's boundaries clear.

This includes drains on roads that have not been adopted by the council.

For more information about responsibility for blocked drains, visit our Drains and sewers page.

Sandbags are not generally effective at preventing floodwater from entering properties.

Oldham Council does not provide sandbags to homeowners, tenants or businesses.

If you need sandbags, you can buy them from local builders' merchants.