When it rains in Auckland it really rains, and with winter only a few months away, now is the time to prepare your property for sudden downpours. Stormwater or rain runoff from roofs, driveways, roads and other hard surfaces has the potential to cause flooding, erosion, property and long-term environmental damage. Good planning and regular home and garden maintenance can help protect your property and improve the quality of stormwater that flows from your home to our streams, lake and beaches.

• Inspect your spoutings, gutters and downpipes and remove all debris that could cause blockages, sending water down the inside of walls – this is especially important if your roof has little or no eaves.

• Install a rainwater tank to capture and store water. If you already have one, make sure the outlet is clear and lower the water level ready for the next downpour.

• If your property borders a waterway, plant natives to help stabilise banks and filter pollutants. Remove rubbish and loose vegetation from stream banks.

• Manage stormwater carefully - if constructing a driveway, get council advice and approvals on good design including the use of permeable surfaces. Large poorly planned concreted areas can collect massive amounts of water, flooding garages or basements.

• Before laying grass or creating new gardens think about what could happen if there is a deluge – will it wash into the neighbour’s garage?

For more information on what you can do to protect your property from flooding visit www.northshorecity.govt.nz. under ‘stormwater’.