Drain & Sewer FAQ
What drains/sewers am I responsible for?
Anglian Water is responsible for the mains sewer network, which is normally located under the public highway.
Property owners are responsible for their private drain between the building the drain serves and the point at which it connects to the Anglian Water sewer network. This means that even if the drain crosses other private or publicly owned land before connecting to the mains network, the property owner is responsible for clearing blockages or undertaking repairs. Click here for diagrams showing typical examples.
What if my drain is shared with neighbouring properties?
Many customers’ drains connect with the drains serving neighbouring properties before they connect to the Anglian Water sewer network. Where more than one drain is connected together it becomes known as a sewer. These sewers can be either Private Sewers or Public (Section 24) Sewers.
What is a Private Sewer?
Sewers built after 1937 are known as “Private Sewers” and responsibility for repairs and maintenance up to the point at which the sewer connects to the Anglian Water network is shared between the properties served by the sewer. Click here for diagrams showing typical examples.
What is a Section 24 sewer?
Sewers built before 1937 which connect to the Anglian Water network are public sewers known as “Section 24 Sewers” and are the responsibility of Anglian Water. Customers remain responsible for their individual drain up to the point it connects with other drains to become a sewer. Click here for diagrams showing typical examples.
What should I do if my drain or sewer blocks?
I have a Private Drain
If you experience a blockage on your private drain it is normally your responsibility to sort it out.
If you are a council or housing association tenant you should contact them for advice/assistance.
If you have Anglian Water Direct Plumbing and Drainage Cover, provided by Homeserve, you should contact the claims number on 0800 083 9607.
I am connected to a Private Sewer
When blockages occur on private sewers, customers upstream of the affected area will be jointly responsible for resolving the problem. Customers should get together and arrange for the blockage to be removed, and costs should be shared between affected parties. In the event that neighbours do not get along, the local council is able to serve notice on householders to get the problem resolved, and in some cases will arrange for contractors to complete the work and then recover the costs from all affected properties.
Homeserve Plumbing and Drainage Cover does not cover shared drains (sewers) outside the property boundary, but policyholders are advised to contact Homeserve on 0800 083 9607, to see whether they can claim back their share of any costs incurred to resolve the problem.
I am connected to a Public Sewer constructed before 1937 (Section 24)
You should call Anglian Water on 08457 145 145 and advise them that you are connected to a Section 24 Sewer.
How do blockages occur?
Blockages can occur for a number of reasons, including:
- Inappropriate items such as nappies, sanitary products, baby wipes, incontinence products etc. being flushed down toilets.
- Fat and grease from cooking which solidifies once it has been poured down the sink leaving thick coats around the inner surface of pipework, thereby reducing the bore and thus the effectiveness of the drains and sewers.
- Tree and shrub roots penetrating drains and sewers.
- Structural defects such as fractured pipework, mis-aligned pipework joints, undulating pipework, insufficient gradient of the pipework, or pitch-fibre pipework that has become squashed over time.
