We'll get through it together.
In the Territory, we all know severe weather can mean serious damage and danger. That’s why we all need to be ready.
Severe weather brings with it the possibility of lightning storms, fallen trees or branches on powerlines, sewer blockages or overflows and interruptions to your power and water supply.
Our crews are on call 24/7 to restore your power, water and sewer services as quickly and safely as possible in these challenging conditions.
Prepare
Preparing your home for what might happen during a severe weather event.
Learn about how to prepareProtect
Protecting yourself and your loved ones during a severe weather event.
Learn about how to protectTools to help you prepare
Watch our video and be ready
Duration: 30 seconds
Download our checklist
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Download our find and colour activity sheet
PDF 170KB
Plan
Making a plan for you and your family in the event of a severe weather event is one of the best ways to keep your loved ones safe.
Do you know what you may need to consider when making an emergency plan?
Have you prepared your home and yard?
If not, make sure you put time aside to do so.
Interrupted water and power supplies can take some time to be restored.
Have you made a plan for how you and your family will cope in that situation?
Do you know the emergency phone numbers?
Power and Water emergencies and faults 1800 245 090.
NT Emergency Services for emergency storm assistance 132 500.
Police, Fire or Ambulance for life-threatening emergencies Triple Zero 000.
Do you know where you and your family will go in the event of an emergency that restricts access to your home?
Prepare
Being prepared for a severe weather event will put you in the best position to get you, your loved ones and your home through it safety.
Check trees around your home and see whether any are overhanging your roof or interfering with powerlines.
Always assume powerlines are live. Before trimming trees near your service line or powerlines, get some safety advice. Call us on 1800 245 092 or a qualified arborist.
Keep a store of bottled water.
This can be important if water supply is interrupted or drinking water becomes contaminated. Visit SecureNT emergency kits page for more information.
If you live in a multi-storey apartment building, disruption to power can also affect water supplies.
Keep a few buckets of water in your bathroom.
Power fluctuations can damage expensive electrical equipment.
Consider shielding them with a surge protector/diverter or uninterrupted power supply (UPS) device or unplug from the wall if a storm is on its way.
Keep your overflow relief gully (ORG) clean and clear.
That’s the sewer drain with a grate outside your home. If the sewer blocks, the ORG is designed to let sewage overflow into your garden rather than into your home. Learn more about what you need to do to ensure the ORG can function adequately in an emergency.
If you are renting, talk to your landlord.
It's important to have a clear understanding about who should be responsible for contacting an electrician or plumber if the need arises.
Protect
Protect yourself and your loved ones from harm. Stay well clear of any damaged Power and Water infrastructure and equipment.
Always assume fallen powerlines are live and dangerous even if they’re not sparking.
Stay well away, warn others and call our emergency fault number on 1800 245 090 .
Trees, high winds and flying debris can bring down overhead powerlines.
Take care when cleaning up and if you find something you think may be a powerline. Stay clear and call 1800 245 090 .
Stay away from any damaged Power and Water infrastructure. It may be live.
Any further damage may impact safety and our ability to restore power and water in your area.
Floodwaters have hidden dangers.
Never swim in floodwaters and stay away from dangerous surging storm water drains.
Solar panels could still be live when the power is out.
Call a professional qualified electrician to inspect them.
If you get tingles or shocks from a tap or appliance, stay clear.
Call Power and Water on 1800 245 090
If it's a life threatening situation call Triple Zero 000 immediately.
If you experience an outage, keep refrigerators and freezers closed.
Food will stay fresh for several hours without power if seals are in good order.
Once power is restored, make sure you wait for a few minutes before turning on all your appliances
This will help to avoid overloading the electricity network, which may cause damage to your appliances.
If your home or power service line connection has been damaged.
You will need to obtain a Certificate of Compliance from a NT licensed electrician before your home can be reconnected. Learn more about getting reconnected.
Power points and water do not mix.
If you’re concerned water has gotten in to any of your power points, do not use them and immediately call a NT licensed electrician.
Sewer access covers, if damaged, can be a hazard to people and vehicles.
Sewers contain toxic gases and should only be accessed by trained staff. Stay safe, stay clear and call our emergency and faults line on 1800 245 090.
Connect
Stay connected with Power and Water and NT emergency authorities. We have a range of helpful tools to keep you informed about unplanned supply interruptions, including our website and social media channels.
Restoring power to essential and emergency services always takes priority over residential properties.
In a severe weather event or cyclone, once the threat reduces and approval has been given by the Incident Controller, our crews will assess the damage and make it safe before we begin restoring power.
Have a list of important numbers handy.
Power and Water emergencies and faults 1800 245 090.
NT Emergency Services for emergency storm assistance 132 500.
Police, Fire or Ambulance for life-threatening emergencies Triple 000.
During an event, for real time updates on interruptions to supply.
Keep a battery-powered radio handy and stay tuned to local stations for ongoing updates.
Visit the SecureNT website to find out what frequency you need to listen to in your area.
Follow SecureNT
On their website , Facebook and X for information about all emergencies in the Northern Territory.
