Private sewers

When developers build housing or industrial estates, retail parks and other developments they install the drains and sewers. In most cases the drainage and sewerage system is designed and installed to our specification. Once we have checked that everything is correct we adopt the sewerage part of the system - ie it passes into our ownership and we take over responsibility for it.

Occasionally the sewerage system is not designed or constructed to our satisfaction and we are unable to adopt it. Sometimes the developer does not even apply for adoption of the sewers. In both these cases the responsibility for the sewers rests with the users - the homes on the housing estate, the owners of the units on an industrial estate.

So if you are buying a house, particularly a new or recently built one, it is wise to check that the sewers have been adopted. Otherwise you could find that you are taking on ownership and responsibility for more than just a house!

Blockages

You are responsible for maintaining and resolving any problems within your private sewers and drains.

Tree roots and debris such as household bricks can cause problems within private drainage systems and these can subsequently result in flooding.

If you suspect that your private drains and sewers may be affected by tree root ingress and/or building debris following the completion of any work, we recommend that you carry out relevant checks.

Regular checks and maintenance will help to ensure that the performance of your private drainage system is not restricted.