Public Health - drainage
Drains are pipes, which carry waste and surface water from one or more houses. When one drain meets another, it becomes a sewer. These are not the gullies or grids that can be found in the road to take water off the highway.
- How do I know if it is my drain that is blocked?
- How do I report a blocked drain?
- Who is responsible?
How do I know if it is my drain that is blocked?
If your drain is blocked you will usually know because your waste will stop going away when you flush the toilet, or gullies outside will overflow. There will also probably be a smell. Private drains/sewers are the responsibility of the owner-occupier and any other properties connected to it.
How do I report a blocked drain?
Thames Water looks after the network of public sewers in the surrounding areas.
If you have a sewer problem, please contact Thames Water
The Council can only take action where there is a problem with blocked or overflowing drains or private sewers
Who is responsible?
It is the responsibility of the owner-occupier to maintain and clear a private drain or private sewer. If the property is rented then it is the landlords responsibility. If you live in a row of houses then the problem could be a shared one.
If your property was built before 1937 it will be a public sewer
Page updated: 20 Oct 2010
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