Household drains and sewers
Drains attached to houses meet up, in most cases, with drains from neighbouring houses and eventually attach to the main public sewer system.
- You are responsible for lateral drains within (under) your property boundary
- Drains outside your property boundary, shared sewers and public sewers are the responsibility of Anglian Water who are the local water and sewerage company.
The big sewer switchover
From the 1 October 2011 Anglian Water become responsible for looking after many more sewers and pipes, this was due to a change in the law.
If you're connected to the public sewer system they are now responsible for the pipes that are outside your property. You are still responsible for pipes within your property boundary.
You can find out more about these changes from the Anglian Water website.
Managing flood risk and drainage on developments
The Environment Agency is the leading public body protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. The Planning Practice Guidance website offers information on site-specific flood risk assessments for developments.
If your proposal requires a full flood risk assessment, you are strongly advised to discuss the scope and content of the flood risk assessment with the Environment Agency and our Planning Team before you start work on it.
Sustainable drainage systems
Peterborough (SuDS) is a website to help inform, educate and promote the use of sustainable drainage.
Useful contacts:
- Anglian Water - 03457 145145
- Contact customer services for the Drainage or Housing Enforcement team
- Report a fault online for a blocked highway drain, a faulty road gulley or highway flooding
- Housing Associations tenants should contact their local housing officer
- Private sector tenants should contact their landlord or letting agent
The council does not supply lists of contractors, so you are advised to consult a private drainage company. It is always advisable to obtain quotations in advance, as costs do vary between companies.