How to Report a Blocked Drain

If the blocked drain is in the public sewer system (shared or lateral drains), reporting it to the correct authority gets it fixed at no cost to you. However, knowing whether the blocked drain is private (your responsibility) or public (water company's responsibility) is essential before reporting. Here's how to determine who to call and what to say.

What to Look For

• Private drains (within your boundary, serving only your property): your responsibility — call a drainage company
• Shared drains (serving 2+ properties): water company's responsibility — report to them
• Lateral drains (from your boundary to public sewer): water company since 2011
• Public sewers (main sewer in road): water company — report immediately
• Highway drains (road gullies and kerb drains): report to local council
• If in doubt, call your water company — they'll advise on responsibility

How We Diagnose the Problem

If you're unsure whether the blocked drain is private or public, a CCTV survey with drain tracing provides a definitive answer. We map the full system and clearly mark ownership boundaries. This prevents you paying for repairs the water company should be handling.

How We Fix It

For water company drains: report to their emergency line (available 24/7). They must attend within a reasonable time. For council highway drains: report online or call the council's highways department. For private drains: call us for professional clearance and investigation.