Who is responsible for drains and sewers?

Home Improvement

As a homeowner, do you know what your responsibilities are when it comes to problems with drains and sewer lines? If you’re unsure, then you might find the following information useful.

Most of the time, a homeowner is responsible for the drains that are located within the property’s boundaries. The sewage or water company is usually responsible for any lateral drains and those that fall outside of the property’s boundaries, such as the main sewer line. The majority of sewers are publicly owned, however, there are still some unadopted or private sewers and if your property is located next to one of these, the homeowner could be responsible.

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What is the difference between a drain and a sewer?

Simply, a drain is a pipe system that drains water away from your property and other buildings associated with it, such as outbuildings and garages, for example. A lateral drain is a pipe that carries wastewater away from your property to join the main sewer line. These are usually located beyond the boundary of a property and located beneath a road, for example. They sometimes run underneath properties who have a shared sewer. A sewer is usually owned and maintained by the water company that supplies you and it collects the wastewater and sewage from a number of different buildings in your neighbourhood.

The private drains that sit within the boundary of a property are the responsibility of the homeowner. When problems are experienced, the owner can choose from a wide range of drain companies to investigate and fix the issues. For full details on the benefits of CCTV Drainage Surveys, go to a site like wilkinson-env.co.uk Any work on private drains will need to be funded by the homeowner and some choose to take out insurance to cover any work on drains that might be needed in the future.

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When repairs need to be carried out on lateral drains or sewers, these are the responsibility of the water company. Sometimes, they may need to enter property if they need to access the sewer. Homeowners who are experiencing blockages and problems after having their private drains investigated should contact their local water company for assistance.

If a drain on a property is considered too small or is causing blockage issues for other properties, the environmental health department of the local authority can order a homeowner to carry out repairs, improvements or the replacement of a drain on the property.

For those who might not be sure if their sewer is public or private, there are simple ways to find out. The water company who supplies the property will be able to tell you this information. A homeowner can also check the deeds of their property for these details. The water company can also supply homeowners with a sewerage map of the local area and are obliged to send you a copy of this should you ask for one. Alternatively, the local authority will also hold this information.

Written by suNCh8

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