ADVICE FROM SEVERN TRENT WATER (STW)
Responsibility for drains
There are two types of sewers – private and public. Private sewers belong to residents; public sewers belong to Severn Trent Water (STW). In addition, there are highway drains and gulleys that are the responsibility of the council.
Residents’ responsibility
The drainage pipes located within the boundary of residents’ property, beneath the house, garden or driveway, belong to residents and are residents’ responsibility. They take away the waste water that flows from residents’ property.
When these pipes reach outside the boundary of residents’ property and connect to pipes serving another property they stop being residents’ responsibility.
STW’s responsibility
STW is responsible for the large sewers that are normally under the road or pavement. Due to a change in law, in October 2011, the sections of sewers and pipe that residents share with neighbours and pipes outside their property boundary, which connect to STW's existing network, are now STW’s responsibility.
If you think one of STW sewers is blocked, you should call at any time of day or night on 0800 783 4444. STW will arrange for sewer technicians to check it out.
· If a public sewer is blocked – that’s one owned by STW – STW will clear the pipe
· If the problem is in a private drain or private sewer, residents will need to pay for an independent drain clearing company to carry out any clearance work
What belongs to the council
The highways authority, usually the county council, deals with blocked highway drains and road gullies that are causing surface water flooding. Contact the county council highways department on 08000 514514 to ask for work to be done on problems with these drains in your streets.
The Environment Agency Floodline
The Environment Agency (EA) is the environmental regulator in England. It controls water abstraction, river polluting and flooding.
You can call the Environment Agency’s Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for simple, clear and quick advice on what to do before, during and after flooding in bad weather. You can find more details on the Environment Agency website.
