How do I use what3words to help report a pothole?

When reporting a pothole to your council, you should always include the what3words address for its precise location. This ensures your highways authority knows exactly where to find and fix it.

Did you know? Over 100 councils across the UK use what3words to find and fix incidents such as potholes.

Here’s how to find the what3words address for a pothole near your current location:

1. Open the what3words app or go to the online map

2. Tap or click the current location button, which you can find towards the bottom right

3. Switch to satellite mode and select the 3 metre square that contains the pothole

4. Copy the what3words address into your council's pothole reporting form

If you spot a pothole when you’re driving, it’s not safe to find the what3words location instantly. Here’s how you can still find its what3words address:

1. Open the what3words app or go to the online map

2. Enter the street name where you spotted the pothole  

3. Switch to satellite mode and select the 3 metre square that contains the pothole

4. Copy the what3words address into your council's pothole reporting form 

what3words Pro members can also use Photo mode to add what3words addresses to their photos, which can be handy when reporting a pothole or an incident. Here’s how:

1. Open the what3words app

2. Tap the menu icon to the top left & select Photo mode

3. Take a photo of the pothole

4. Add the what3words address

5. Download the photo and send it to your council

Learn more about how to use Photo mode here. 

How can my organisation capture what3words addresses on my pothole reporting form?

If you’re a council or highways authority looking to capture what3words addresses on your pothole reporting form, you can integrate what3words via our easy-to-use plugins or API. Find out more at what3words.com/infrastructure. Please get in touch if you need any support.