Private sewers transfer and private pumping station adoption
After several reviews and public consultation, the Government decided to transfer ownership of the majority of private sewers and qualifying private pumping stations to us in 2 stages.
Stage 1 - Private sewers
On 1 October 2011 the majority of private sewers became our responsibility.
Watch our videos below for more information about the private sewer transfer and how the changes affected you depending on the type of property to live in i.e. a detached property, semi-detached property, terraced property or a flat.
For problems with sewers or drains that we’re responsible for, contact our Services Helpline on 03444 346 2020.
You can find helpful information on the Defra, Consumer Council for Water and Water UK websites.
Detached property
0 views / 3:00
Semi detached - Private sewer transfer
0 views / 0:58
Terraced property - Private sewer transfer
0 views / 1:01
Flats - Private sewer transfer
0 views / 0:42You may find that a shared sewer pipe that you share with your neighbours runs through your land. In this case it would be classed as a public sewer/lateral drain and would be our responsibility.
Stage 2 - Private pumping stations
On 1 October 2016 qualifying Private pumping stations became our responsibility. Pumping stations included in the transfer of ownership are those that were built before 1 July 2011, serve 2 or more properties or are located outside your property boundary.
| Pumping station controls | Pumps beneath a manhole cover |
 |
 |
You can still register your pumping station if you haven’t already. We’ll review the information and site details to see if it qualifies for a transfer of ownership.
If you have a query about the ownership of your pumping station please contact us
How can we help?
Use the FAQ search to quickly find what you are looking for...
Popular
How much water does an average person use?
The national average annual usage figures have been taken from The Consumer Council for Water and are listed below: Yearly water use in Cubic Metres m3 Number of people living in your home Low use Average use High...
How do I apply for a job with South West Water?
Please complete the application form and equal opportunities form prior to the closing date. We don’t accept application by post or CV unless this is requested as part of a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act. Further information on careers at South West...
How do I order a water butt?
You can order a water butt from the specialist savewatersavemoney. By installing a water butt directly to your gutter downpipe, you will collect rainwater from the roof and can then use it for watering plants, topping up a pond or washing your car. On average every year...
Do you have any job vacancies?
Please see our Careers page for current vacancies, student placements, graduate development programme and apprenticeships.
Waste water services
What are you doing to prevent sewer flooding?
We know that being affected by sewer flooding is unpleasant and upsetting so we’re working hard to prevent it from happening. Take a look at our new approach Downstream Thinking to tackle flooding from sewers. We regularly clean our sewers especially those we know are...
What do I do if I have been flooded by sewage?
Step 1: Call us on 0344 346 2020 – 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekStep 2: Call your insurance company if your home is flooded internallyStep 3: We’ll help you clean up and aim to start work within 4 hoursStep 4: We’ll investigate and provide you with a contact to talk...
How can I stop sewer flooding?
You can help to stop our sewers from blocking and flooding by following our guide below: Only flush the 3 P’s pee, paper and poo Bag and bin baby wipes, cotton buds, sanitary products, nappies and similar materials Do not pour grease or cooking fat down the sink – the...
How will you fix any problems on the sewers that you now own?
We will prioritise work by assessing the condition of the transferred sewers and pinpointing where issues may lie. We’ll focus on fixing sewers with a risk of collapsing or flooding first. To report a problem please call our Services Helpline on 0344 346 2020.
Drinking water
Why do I have high pressure?
If you’ve noticed intermittent high pressureThere may be planned maintenance work in your area that’s causing a sudden surge of pressure or flow. Sometimes air can get trapped in your pipes, causing the increase in pressure which can be resolved by running your taps for...
Why do I have low pressure?
If you’ve noticed sudden low pressure:There could be a few reasons for this, a burst main for example that is causing a sudden dip in your pressure or flow. You will need to carry out a few checks: Check if the low pressure is only affecting your hot water, this would...
What do you do to make sure my water is safe to drink?
We monitor water quality all the way from the source, through the treatment processes and distribution network of pipes right up until it reaches your tap. We take thousands of samples from our supply system and from our customers’ taps for testing. The Drinking Water...
What do you do to make sure my water is safe to drink?
We monitor water quality all the way from the source, through the treatment processes and distribution network of pipes right up until it reaches your tap. We take thousands of samples from our supply system and from our customers’ taps for testing. The Drinking Water...
Developer Services
How do I apply for a new sewer connection?
You can complete our sewer connection application form and return it to us by email, the guidance notes contain more information. You’ll need to arrange for a drain to be laid from your property to our sewer. If you need help in locating the closest public sewer, you...
Why do I need permission to build over or close to a public sewer?
We need to approve your proposal of works (even if you have already had planning permission granted) as your building could cause damage or prevent access to the sewer. Some conservatories and minor works don’t always need planning and/or building regulation approval,...
What if my extension was built over a private sewer before 1 October 2011?
If the property was built before the transfer of private sewers to us on 1 October 2011, the works are legal as there would have been no need for approval before this date. There's more information here on building over a public sewer after this date.
What do you mean by building close to a public sewer?
This means building within 3 metres of the centre of the sewer. This distance increases for larger sewers. You can find more information in our guidance notes or by visiting our page dedicated to building near a public sewer.