“All 6 extra pumps working at Northmoor”: Somerset Levels and Moors flood briefing 28 January 2026
This is a briefing prepared on Wednesday 28 January 2026 by local Environment Agency officers.
In summary, all six extra pumps installed at Northmoor Pumping Station are now working. Pumps upstream of Burrowbridge cannot operate until river levels drop, as water cannot be pumped into already full rivers. Once levels fall, pumps will be operated as soon as possible.
Across Somerset, around 50 properties have been reported as flooded. There is a lot of water on the moors around Langport and Muchelney, and the moors continue to fill. Levels are being closely monitored.
Somerset Council have declared a major incident with the support and agreement of partners in the Local Resilience Forum, including the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency and Somerset Council are partners in Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA), along with the Parrett and Axe Brue Internal Drainage Boards, Natural England, the Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and Wessex Water.
Current situation
Staff have worked extremely hard to get pumps installed, and we [=the Environment Agency] are pleased to report that all six additional pumps at Northmoor are up and running as of this evening (Wednesday 28 January). Text continues below image.
Water levels remain high across the Somerset Levels and Moors. The weather is slightly better today, but last week’s rain is still moving through the catchments. There are currently 11 flood warnings and 11 flood alerts in force across Somerset. We encourage people to check the flood warning details for updates.
The weather is expected to remain unsettled for the rest of the week with a Met Office yellow weather warning in place for rain tomorrow for rain. Rainfall totals are not expected to be as high as earlier in the week, but the ground is saturated and the catchments will respond quickly. We are monitoring the situation closely, with teams working around the clock both in the field and in incident rooms to coordinate the response and maximise pumping capacity.
Across the whole of Somerset, around 50 properties have been reported as flooded. We are working closely with our partners to support affected households. There are still widespread impacts on the road network; please check Travel Somerset for updates.
Since Somerset Council declared a major incident, multi-agency response to the flooding has been stepped up, with close co-ordination between partners. For any welfare needs, we encourage residents to contact Somerset Council on 0300 123 2224.
We will be at Moorland Village Hall on Thursday 29 January from 10am – 4pm, together with our partners.
What we’re doing
All six temporary pumps are up and running at Northmoor pumping station as of this evening.
Extra staff, pumps and equipment have arrived from other areas of the country.
All temporary pumps at Saltmoor are on site and being installed, we are confident they will be fully operational tomorrow.
The pumps upstream of Burrowbridge cannot operate until river levels drop, as we cannot pump water into already full rivers. Once levels fall, we are ready to maximise the window of opportunity and operate the pumps as soon as we can. Temporary pumps are ready to be deployed at Currymoor once the river levels allow.
Brief road closures/traffic management continue to be in place to enable the installation of equipment.
There is a significant amount of water on the moors around Langport and Muchelney, and the moors continue to fill. We are closely monitoring levels in this area.
What you need to do
To ensure your safety, please do not walk or drive through flood water. Flood water may be deeper than it looks and contain sewage and hidden hazards.
We encourage people to report any flooding as soon as you can.
Reporting helps organisations coordinate support and prioritise response. You can do this by calling the Environment Agency Incident Hotline: 0800 80 70 60.
Preparing for flooding
Sign up for flood warnings at www.gov.uk/get-flood-warnings
Call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for updates, to sign up for warnings, or to report flooding
Visit www.gov.uk/prepare-for-flooding for advice on what to do
During a flood
Call 999 if there is a risk to life
Report flooding
Environment Agency (main rivers or sea): 0800 80 70 60
Somerset Council (ordinary watercourses): 0300 123 2224
Wessex Water (sewers): 0345 600 4600
Check for flooding updates at check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk
Visit www.gov.uk/help-during-flood or Somerset Prepared for guidance
For all enquiries, or if you would like to be added to the distribution list for Somerset Levels and Moors updates, please email WessexEnquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk