Who`s Drain Is it Anyway ?

This section of the site used to take up 3 or 4 pages due to the different scenarios on ownership, who actually owned a drainage system was dependant on the age of the property and how many properties shared the system, however things changed at the beginning of October 2011 when the Drainage Transfer took place in Wales and England and we no longer have to ponder the ins and outs of Section 24 ownership and the like. Happy Days.

The image to the right shows how any private drainage within the boundaries of a property belongs to the home owner, anything beyond the boundary comes under the jurisdiction of your local water company.

This means that any unblocking or repairs beneath the footpath and road can only be undertaken by your water companies allotted contractor as the works are covered as part of your water rates, how any contractor or homeowner can determine exactly where the blockage is prior to it being cleared is another story.

The image below again shows that any private drainage within the boundaries of a property belongs too and are the responsibility of the home owner, any private drainage outside the boundaries of the property are now taken over by the water companies as are all shared drains.

The above does not however apply to storm water systems that discharge into rivers, brooks or water courses or systems that run to septic tanks and treatment plants.