Drainage & sewers
Summary
Main sewers are the responsibility of your water supplier, which is most likely to be either Anglian Water or Suffolk & Essex Water. Other private drains and sewers are the responsibility of the owner(s) of the property.
If you get your water from a private supply such as a well, borehole or spring, you may be interested in our Private water supplies leaflet, which gives advice on the contaminants that may be present in the water, and what you can do about them. Download the leaflet by following the link below.
How to request information on drainage & sewers
If you do not find the answer to your query from the information below:
- Contact us online or by e-mail, telephone or letter (our details are at the foot of this page);
- Information we will need from you:
- your full name;
- your full address including your postcode;
- your home telephone number and a number which we can contact you on during normal office hours if this is different;
- your email address (if applicable);
- how you would like us to respond to you, and;
- details of your enquiry.
Downloads
The following link(s) require a plug-in, and will open in a new browser window [
]. About downloading files.
Further information
How often does my septic tank need emptying?
We would suggest that the tank is de-sludged at least twice a year.
Can I use bleach in my septic tank?
Bleach and other strong chemicals can kill off the bacteria that help a septic tank work. Use any of these chemicals sparingly and look for “septic tank friendly” varieties when you buy such chemicals.
My toilet gurgles even when it has not been flushed
There is probably a blockage. Get in touch with a drainage contractor or local builder/handyman.
I have a blocked drain and my neighbours tell me they have a blockage as well
It could be that you are on a shared system. You should contact Anglian Water or Essex and Suffolk Water (see contact details below) and follow their advice.
If you know you are not connected to a main sewer then you should get together with your neighbours and contact a drainage contractor or local builder for help.
If you are unable to do this please contact us (contact details below).
Notes on private sewers & drains
Public or private?
The pipe that leaves your house is called a drain. If this drain then joins a drain from another property, the pipe becomes a sewer from that joint onwards.
Responsibilities for unblocking or repairing problem sections of foul sewage systems depend upon whether or not the sewer is classed as 'Public' or 'Private' - however this is not always easy to determine.
Public sewers are those that have been adopted by the sewerage undertaker (e.g. Anglian Water Services, their management contractors or predecessors) and, once adopted, cleaning and maintenance of that sewer is their responsibility. Plans of all such sewers are held by the sewage undertaker, and are also available for viewing at the Building Control section at South Norfolk Council Offices at Long Stratton.
Sewers built before 1 October 1937 are known as 'Section 24 sewers' and are the exception to the rule. They fit the general description of private sewers but they are actually public and therefore managed by the local sewerage undertaker.
A private sewer is a sewer that has not been adopted by a sewerage undertaker, and therefore it is the responsibility of the persons who use the sewer to clear blockages or repair damage.
- The fact that a sewer is located under a public road does NOT mean that it is a public sewer.
- Some Public sewers can be found within the grounds (curtillage) of a private dwelling.
Your household drain may flow straight into a public sewer (diagram 1, above). If a blockage occurs anywhere in this private drain, you have sole responsibility for cleaning any blockages or carrying out any repairs. Most properties have some length of private drain.
Drains from two properties may join together and form a private sewer, and then run some distance before connecting with the public sewer (diagram 2). If a blockage or defect occurs at point X in the private sewer system (diagram 2), the owners of the two properties would be responsible for rectifying the problem.
Note that the boundary of the property does not indicate the end of your responsibility.
Diagram 3 below shows how all the drains from a block of houses link up before running into a public sewer. In some cases, the drains from an entire estate may join a private sewer system before linking up with the public system, and this could be some considerable distance.
Present legislation dictates that the owners or occupiers of premises above the point of the blockage or defect (i.e. whichever properties effluent flows through that point) are responsible. Therefore a blockage at point Y would only involve properties 4, 5 and 6. A blockage at point Z would involve all 6 properties.
Our role
Environmental Services staff will determine the extent of the problem, the number of properties involved and the action required to resolve the problem. This usually results in either informal or formal action being taken.
Informal Action
Environmental Services staff will endeavour to inform users of the appropriate action to take. E.g.
- Use rods to clear pipes personally or with the help of a neighbour
- Contact a local specialist drain company
Formal Action
A Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 Notice would require you together with the other affected persons to remove obstructions from the private sewer within 48 hours. The Notice or covering letter will indicate all other parties involved. If the Notice is not complied with, the work will be completed by the Council and the cost for the works plus any administrative fees will be charged.
The Building Act 1984, Section 59 Notice would require you together with the other affected persons to repair damaged parts of a private sewer. The Notice or covering letter will indicate all other parties involved. If the Notice is not complied with, the work will be completed by the Council and the cost for the works plus any administrative fees will be charged. Rights of appeal are also set out within this notice.
Problems relating to public sewers must be dealt with by your Sewerage Undertaker (In most cases Anglian Water).
External links
Anglian Water
Website with contact details for Anglian Water, the main water supplier for South Norfolk.
Essex & Suffolk Water
Another water supplier for parts of the east of our district.
Contact us
| contact officer/team: | Environmental Protection Support Officer |
|---|---|
| web: | online enquiry form |
| email: | envserv@s-norfolk.gov.uk |
| freephone: | 0808 168 4444 |
| telephone: | 01508 533708 |
| minicom/textphone: | 01508 533622 |
| address: | South Norfolk Council South Norfolk House Swan Lane Long Stratton Norwich NR15 2XE |
|
|
|
If you need information in large print, audio cassette, braille, translation (written or verbal) or signed interpretation, let us know when you contact us.
