Drainage

The pollution team 

The pollution team at Shepway District Council is responsible for investigating complaints about blocked or defective drains and sewers across the district. A leaking or damaged sewer can cause huge problems, sending raw sewage spilling onto roads, gardens and even worse, into homes.

What happens underground?

Effluent and waste water from your toilet, sink, bath or shower is carried out of your home by soil pipes that lead to a drainage pipe below ground. These drainage pipes can be made from either ‘rigid' clay, cast iron, or flexible uPVC. When the drain joins with another drain it becomes a sewer.

Sewers can be public or private

Public sewers are those which have been adopted by the Sewerage Undertaker (which in Shepway's case is Southern Water) and cleaning and maintenance of the sewer is this party's responsibility.  (Section 24 sewers are those that were built before 1 October 1937 and found on private property. They were originally private sewers but have since been re-classified as public sewers).

Private sewers are those that have not been adopted and are not on the definitive sewerage plans held by Southern Water. It is up to the owners of these drains to clean and maintain them.

If your private sewer runs directly into a public sewer you will be responsible for repairing any blockage in the private part and at the point it connects to the public part.

In some cases, for example in a terrace, homes can share private sewers. This means that if there is a blockage, all the owners or occupiers above the point of the blockage (ie whichever properties' effluent flows to that point) are responsible for getting it cleared or repaired.

It is up to the owner or owners of private sewers to clean and maintain them.

Did you know..

• The fact that a sewer is under a road does not always mean it's a public sewer.

• Some public sewers can be found in the grounds of houses
• You may be covered for defects in private sewers or drains. Check with your insurance company.
• When buying a house, check with your solicitor about the status of the sewers as this forms part of the Land Charge Search
• The boundary of your property does not indicate the end of your responsibility

We have produced a free leaflet which may help you establish public or private ownership. The leaflet is available at the Civic Centre or by calling 01303 858660.

For further information or  to register a complaint concerning a blocked or defective drain or sewer you can use the form provided or contact us by post: Environmental Health, Shepway District Council, Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone CT20 2QY, by email: environmental.health@shepway.gov.uk or by calling customer services on 01303 858660 

You can contact Southern Water on 0845 272 0845