Drains and sewers carry foul water away from our homes and form part of a vast drainage network. In general, foul water is water that has been used in the kitchen sink, washing machines and dishwashers, the toilet and bathroom.

Surface water is generally rainwater which has fallen onto roofs and enters the drainage system via gutters and drainpipes.

Usually foul and surface water drainage systems are separate, however in areas where the housing stock is older, it is sometimes combined.

There are three main parts of the drainage system:

1) Drains

A drain is a pipe that carries water from just one property.

This drain is the responsibility of the householder of that property for its full length up to the point where it connects to another pipe, or another pipe connects to it. At this point the drain becomes a private sewer.

2) Private sewers

A private sewer is any pipe that connects to the drain of more than one property, but is not a public sewer.

In such cases, the sewer is the joint responsibility of those properties that use it. The responsibility continues up to the point where the private sewer, including the connection, joins the public sewer. After which the responsibility changes to the water company.

This means that people may have responsibility for the repair and maintenance of pipes that run beneath land owned by somebody else, such as a neighbour or possibly the Council.

Private sewers laid before 1 October 1937 are still the responsibility of the water authority. They may revert back to the owner's responsibility if they have been altered.

3) Public sewers

The foul water from each property connected to the mains drainage system flows through the property’s drains into a public sewer that ultimately carries it for treatment. Most public sewers run below the road rather than below homes or gardens.

Public sewers are the responsibility of the water authority for the area. In Aylesbury Vale, depending on where you live, the water authority is either Anglian Water or Thames Water.

Anglian Water and Thames Water keep records of public sewers and you should contact them if you have any queries:

Anglian Water - Customer Care

Telephone: 08457 145 145
Website - see external links below

Thames Water - Customer Care

Telephone: 08459 200 800
Website - see external links below

Date Updated: 05/03/08