Metro Water Services has mailed flood-risk notices to 18,000 properties in Davidson County, urging residents to review their exposure to flooding and consider how they would protect their homes and finances. The notices went to properties in designated floodplains and floodways. But the agency says residents should check their risk even if they did not receive a letter: streams throughout Nashville can flood, and backwater flooding can affect properties beyond mapped floodplain boundaries. Residents can view floodplain and floodway maps through Metro Nashville’s Parcel Viewer. Metro Water Services has also made its flood-risk guidance available in English and Spanish. The agency cautions that a standard homeowners insurance policy does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condominium owners and commercial property owners through the National Flood Insurance Program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Nashville and Davidson County have participated in the federal program since 1982. County participation in the program’s Community Rating System makes eligible property owners eligible for a 10% discount on flood insurance premiums. The notices are intended to raise awareness, but the broader warning is that a property’s absence from a mapped flood zone does not guarantee it is safe from flooding. Residents can find additional program information at FloodSmart.gov.