Private sewer drainage
The public sewerage network in the Carlisle City Council
District is owned by United Utilities. From the 1 October 2011
United Utilities will take responsibility for all private sewers
(external link) as well as public. (See United Utilities website
for further details). You may find a different company collects
your water charges than the one providing this service. If you wish
to report a problem affecting the public sewerage network you can
contact United Utilities on 0845 602 0406.
Your Drains
If your drain is blocked you will usually know because your
waste will stop going away when you flush the toilet, or gullies
outside will overflow. There will also probably be an odour.
The drains which run from your property are your own
responsibility. Where your drain meets with a neighbours drain, the
pipework becomes a private sewer whose responsibility is shared
amongst those whom derive benefit from it. Disputes can arise where
blockages occur and one of the responsible owners is unwilling to
pay their proportion of the cost of clearance.
It is a common misconception that when a drainage pipe leaves
the boundary of one property, its maintenance becomes the
responsibility of someone else. If your property is upstream of the
defect or blockage, you are partially responsible for its
upkeep.
In properties where there are separate drains for wastewater and
surface waste, the water from your bathroom, toilet, kitchen and
washing machine must go into the wastewater drain to be taken away
and treated. The separate surface water drain collects rainwater
from roofs, gutters and paths. This relatively clean water can be
put back into local rivers and streams. Wrong connections can
happen when new toilets, sinks or kitchen appliances are fitted,
particularly in home extensions. The pipes which take water to each
of the separate drainage systems are often very close together and
can be confused.
- Dont connect waste pipes to drains which collect rainwater from
your roof or paths
- Do check with your local council if you are in any doubt about
proposed or existing drains
- Do use a reputable plumber, or if you do the work yourself,
make sure you know exactly what is needed.