Some Thoughts & Advice on Sewer Services
It is now 10 years since the private Sewers Transfer became law so we thought we would see what has happened since 2011. We have been looking after private, industrial, and commercial drainage systems since the 1980’s so have things improved? Well, to read the headlines in the newspapers you could be forgiven for thinking things have got worse – raw sewage discharges to rivers and the sea, record fines for pollution incidents. It’s easy to blame the water companies, after all, they are regulated and responsible but at the same time, they don’t know what you as the customer are sending (flushing) to them. Even after 10 years, we find confusion about who owns the drains and who is responsible for them.
So, let’s start with highway drainage – in the street, this is the responsibility of the local authority. The sewers under the road belong, in the northwest, to United Utilities. The drains within your property and its boundary are your responsibility unless there are several properties connected to the drain in which case United Utilities are responsible. You can see a diagram here. If it’s a commercial park or industrial site the responsibility for maintaining the drains and sewers is to the landlord/owner.
What can you do to ensure your drains run freely so you don’t need to worry about them? Well, if you are the homeowner then regularly clear debris -leaves, wind-blown rubbish, etc from the tops of gullies and have the gullies serviced every couple of years or so but most importantly think about what is disposed of down the toilet and kitchen sink. Sixty percent of all blockages that lead to flooding – and who wants effluent coming out of inspection chambers or worse, inside the property- 60% are down to rags and cloths, wet wipes, make-up pads & cotton wool buds and fats, oil and grease. So, put a small bin in the bathroom and put cooking fats into the household rubbish rather than down the sink.
For industrial and commercial customers talk to us about gully maintenance, have a look at your car park drains – how many have been bodged with a bit of 40mm pipe encased in concrete? Prioritise periodic CCTV inspection of your high-priority drains and sewers. It’s surprising how quickly leakage from joints (exfiltration) can lead to blockages and eventual collapse.
If you have a septic tank to deal with your own private wastewater within a domestic, commercial, or industrial setting, you can rely on Unblock Cumbria. We can provide you with the regular septic tank emptying needed to prevent wastewater from backing up, causing unpleasant smells and unsightly sewage that poses a serious health risk from pooling on your grounds, as well as slow drains and overflowing toilets becoming an issue. We will be pleased to provide a regular service designed to suit the occupancy of the property.
Our sewer service usually begins with CCTV survey footage, to discover what may be causing the problems that are reported to us. From using our jetting services and rodding, to a number of other cleaning techniques, we can remove even tough blockages such as thick tree roots or the serious build-up of grease otherwise known as fatbergs. No matter where the sewer blockage is located, whether on an industrial estate, a residential block, a nuclear site, or anywhere else, we have the expertise and the training to deal with it. If we need to mend breaks and cracks in the pipes, then we can use our n to repair the inner walling, reinforcing the pipe to work for many more years to come.
So, for a sewer and drainage company, you can trust, contact unblock Cumbria Today. We are sure to get the work done.