Transfer of private sewers to water companies

Up to 50 per cent of properties in England and Wales are connected to, and own, a private sewer.  Following a Government decision, these sewers are set to be transferred to water companies’ ownership on 1 October 2011, changing the way problems with private sewers are dealt with and paid for.  

Residents often do not know they are responsible for private sewers until a problem occurs.  The transfer will provide clarity and peace of mind, with a small increase in bills (expected to be in the range of £3 to £14) acting as an insurance policy against the potentially high repair costs people can face under the current arrangements.

The scale of the transfer is huge. Thames Water Utilities Ltd will be adopting overnight about 40,000km of sewers, taking their current network of 67,000km to 107,000km. The volume of additional work and expense will be considerable. The number of blockages they deal with is expected to rise from 55,000 a year now, to in excess of 250,000, and the number of contacts from their customers will increase accordingly.

Thames Water has provided a briefing note to explain the changes and how the transfer will affect their customers.