Groundwater Flood Alert Issued for Villages Surrounding Andover in Hampshire and Wiltshire

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert (Severity Level 3) for groundwater flooding in the villages surrounding Andover. The alert, issued by the Solent and South Downs regional office, follows high groundwater levels exacerbated by recent rainfall.

Affected Areas

The alert covers specific geographic regions within Hampshire and Wiltshire. Key locations identified by the Environment Agency include:

• Appleshaw and Hatherden: Cellar flooding is currently expected to be occurring.
• Penton Mewsey: Flooding is currently affecting the sewer network.
• Penton Grafton: Flooding is affecting the main road, with cellar flooding expected to begin later this week.
• Kimpton: Groundwater is expected to emerge into Deacon and Down Road.
• Thruxton: Potential road flooding is anticipated for next week.

What You Should Do

Residents in the warning area are advised to take the following actions:

• Prepare and implement property resilience measures.
• Ensure that any installed water pumps are in working order and ready for use.
• Remove valuables and sensitive items stored in cellars.
• Monitor local conditions as groundwater levels continue to rise.

Expected Conditions

Approximately 19mm of rain has fallen in the last week, leading to high groundwater levels. Forecasters expect further rainfall between 15mm and 35mm in Hampshire from Thursday, February 26, 2026, to Sunday, March 1, 2026. These conditions are expected to cause groundwater levels to continue rising into the following week.

Timeline

The alert is currently active and includes the following specific projections:

• Saturday, February 28, 2026: Cellar flooding is expected to begin in Penton Grafton, and sewerage system issues are anticipated in Appleshaw.
• Next Week: Cellar flooding in Kimpton and road flooding in Thruxton are possible as levels peak.
• Update Schedule: The Environment Agency will update this message by 6:00 PM on March 4, 2026, or sooner if the situation changes.