Transfer of private sewers
At present homeowners are normally responsible for the pipes that drain from their property into the public sewers. These pipes can include pipes that go beyond the property boundary (lateral drains) and may serve other properties also (private sewers). Homeowners are often unaware that they are responsible for these pipes until a problem occurs.
The figure below illustrates an example of existing drainage arrangements:
The Government has decided that most private sewers, lateral drains and pumping stations that form part of the sewer or lateral drain that connect to the public sewer network should be transferred to the ownership of the regulated sewerage companies in England and Wales. And companies will be issuing notices to customers about the transfer.
The figure below illustrates an example of future drainage arrangements:
The initial scheme will require the transfer on 1 October 2011 of those private sewers and lateral drains that were connected to the public sewer before 1 July 2011. It will not require the transfer of private pumping stations until 1 October 2016, at the latest. There will be a supplementary scheme to include sewers and lateral drains connected on or after 1 July 2011.
If you would like to find out more about the transfer of private sewers, particularly the background and regulations, you should read the information provided by Defra.
If you want to understand how the sewerage company’s decision to propose transfer of a sewer or lateral drain – or its failure to do so – might affect you, you should contact the sewerage company.
If – after contacting the company – you need further advice, you can contact the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), which is the independent consumer representative body.
Our role in the transfer of private sewers is to determine appeals received from affected parties. Find out more in our guidance for submitting and handling of such appeals.
