It is a common misconception that councils are responsible for maintaining and repairing sewers. Drains and sewers are either privately owned by the owners of the houses they serve, or, in the St Edmundsbury borough area, are the responsibility of Anglian Water.
Who should unblock or repair a drain/sewer?
Drains
If the blockage or disrepair occurs in the section of pipe between your house and another sewer then the responsibility rests with you or the owner of the property, if you are a tenant.
Private sewers
If the blockage or disrepair occurs in a section of pipe that drains a number of properties, and that sewer was built after 1937, then the responsibility rests with those owners of properties upstream of the blockage or disrepair. This means that you may be responsible for the clearance or repair of a section of sewer that is outside your properties curtilage, even where this is under the public highway.
If the owners of properties served by a private sewer do not arrange for the clearance of any blockage, St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Environmental Health Services can serve a legal Notice on those persons requiring the work to be done. If the notice is not complied with St Edmundsbury Borough Council may carry out the works themselves in default of the Notice and recover their costs, including administrations costs, from the owners of the properties affected. However, it will normally be more economical for the owners to agree amongst themselves to arrange for the works to be carried out.
If you feel that you are not solely responsible for a blocked sewer or are seeking further advice you should phone Environmental Health and Housing Services on 01284 757053.
Public sewers
If the blockage or any disrepair occurs in the public sewer (this is a sewer that has either been adopted as a public sewer or was built before the 1 October 1937) then the responsibility for its clearance or repair rests with Anglian Water. In this case you should contact them on 08457 145145.
