Prepare for a soaking: West Midlands weather warning
Severn Trent Water is preparing for round-the-clock work as forecasters warn a month's rainfall could soak most of the country over the next two days.
The Met Office has issued a weather warning for heavy rain across the West Midlands for Thursday and Friday, with the possibility of intense thundery downpours and flash flooding.
Natallie Welch, customer contact manager for Severn Trent, said: "We're aware that heavy rain is on the way and we're working hard to get ready for it. We've already got plenty of staff on the phones in our call centre and lots of teams available out and about across the region to deal with flooding and any other issues the wet weather may bring. We're also out and about keeping an eye on those areas with a high risk of flooding.
"Unfortunately, in stormy weather, the drains and sewers often have significantly more water flowing through them. When we get a lot of rain in one go, it has a hard time sinking into the ground, so it just runs off the surface and goes directly into drains and sewers."
She advised residents who have flooding at their home to check if it is just rainwater or if it is sewage that has come from an overflowing sewer.
Rainwater flooding should subside when it stops raining, but can take up to four hours to drain away.
Sewage escaping is a priority for Severn Trent, she said, so people should contact staff so they can get a team out to help as quickly as possible.
MeteoGroup said rainfall totals in England and Wales are expected to be between 30 and 50mm today and tomorrow, and with average August rainfall in central and eastern England totalling approximately 50mm, parts of the country could see a month's worth fall inside 48 hours.
Senior forecaster Julian Mayes said: "A thundery area of low pressure is developing over northern Spain and this will spread warm, humid air northwards over the next two days.
Rain was expected to reach most of England and Wales by midday Thursday and with warm air moving in from the south it is likely to feel very humid.
A Met Office spokesman said hail and thunder are possible, and were most likely early Thursday and then again Friday afternoon.
The weather system is expected to clear away to the east during Saturday, with drier, fresher weather, and some sunshine.