should I be paying sewerage charges to water company

Switch

I live in a private close, and all sewerage goes to a shared sewer tank. This tank is emptied on a regular basis by a company who have a contract with the residents of our close (through a residents Ltd company).

I have noticed that the water company is charging us for sewerage and I am therefore as I see it paying for sewerage costs twice.

I am not sure who owns the pipework between the house and tank, this is something I should establish before approaching the water company so that I have all the facts.

I have not approached the water company yet but am I right in saying that I should be entitled to get a 100% refund on the sewerage portion of my water bill.

Any views on this would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Switch

pixie1

Are you sure they are asking you to pay for sewerage or surface water draining? They normally group these two together but they are two totally diff charges.

If you have a septic tank you should pay any sewerage charges but if you dont have soakaways you will have to pay surface water drianage.

Hope this is of some help.

Switch

Thats a valid point pixie1, thank you for that.

I will write to the water company and ask them to provide a break down on that portion of the bill and see if any sewerage charges are within the breakdown they provide or if the total charge is for surface water drainage only.

Cardew

It is quite disgraceful that the ‘default’ billing position by utility companies is to charge for sewerage and surface water drainage. Obviously the majority have mains drainage but many(most?) have surface water to a soakaway and not to a sewer. I was told by a builder that all new houses must have a soakaway unless there are compelling reasons not to have them; and they must obtain planning permission for an exception.(I cannot vouch for the accuracy of that information)

I suspect most people do not study their water bills closely, and/or realise the implications of the surface water charge.

Switch

Thanks Cardew, I assumed that as the property had pipes going directly into the ground from the guttering these went into the water companies underground pipe network (Please excuse my ignorance).

All properties in the area, including our close which was built 9 years ago is without mains sewerage and with regards to a soakaway do a number of properties normally share a surface water soakaway and would you know how can I establish if my property has one.

Hopefully I will be able to claim back surface water costs as well.

pixie1

As stupid as this sounds, if you driveway slopes towards the road you will have to pay surface water drainage regardless of soakaways because some rain water will go into the main drains in the road. If they dont get you one way they will get you another.

If they are charging you incorrectly you are only allowed to have it back dated so far.....cant rememeber how far sorry its been a while since i worked at the water board, but its worth kicking up a stink about

Switch

The driveway slopes towards the garage, the water goes into a covered gully between driveway and garage and then goes off somewhere, will trace that out over the weekend.

I would only be able to claim anything back for the last 3 years anyhow if entitled too but it was future savings that I am most interested in.

When we moved into the house we contacted the water company to establish if we could have a water meter fitted as we would pay less on a meter. Although the properties are now 9 years old the company had no record of our road and was unable to provide us with any information on water rates etc. The company was round in a flash fitting water meters to every property in the close oppps.

Cardew

Switch wrote:

Thanks Cardew, I assumed that as the property had pipes going directly into the ground from the guttering these went into the water companies underground pipe network (Please excuse my ignorance).

All properties in the area, including our close which was built 9 years ago is without mains sewerage and with regards to a soakaway do a number of properties normally share a surface water soakaway and would you know how can I establish if my property has one.

Hopefully I will be able to claim back surface water costs as well.

May I suggest you are putting the 'cart before the horse'.

You dont need to establish anything; just tell them that your water goes into a soakaway; they normally accept that anyway. If they want to dispute it they can come and do the 'establishing'.

Anyway where could the water go? If there was a mains sewer you would be connected to it instead of a tank.

It is more normal to have one or more soakaways per property. I have a detached house and have three. Not only is it expensive to lay pipes a long way but you don't want lots of water going into a communal soakaway. All soakaways consist of is pits normally filled with rubble.

pixie1

Cardew wrote:

May I suggest you are putting the 'cart before the horse'.

You dont need to establish anything; just tell them that your water goes into a soakaway; they normally accept that anyway. If they want to dispute it they can come and do the 'establishing'.

Anyway where could the water go? If there was a mains sewer you would be connected to it instead of a tank.

It is more normal to have one or more soakaways per property. I have a detached house and have three. Not only is it expensive to lay pipes a long way but you don't want lots of water going into a communal soakaway. All soakaways consist of is pits normally filled with rubble.

The water would go into the main drains, the op doesnt have seaerage pipes - these are not the same thing. Water companys normally send you form which need to be completed with a drawing of where you believe soakaways to be. Most are then visited to confirm, they dont always take your word for it. I worked for a water company for 14 years but I only know this to be the case of the one i worked for.

Please keep us updated

withabix

If the house is on a septic tank it is EXTREMELY unlikely that there will be any surface water drainage in the road outside either.

This will be because the presence of the septic tank suggests that the properties are lower than (or too far away from) the nearest public sewer (or both). Also it can't have been feasibly to install a pumping chamber.

Except in new towns and large developments, both foul and surface drainage go into the same combined sewer. Even on new developments where they have installed separate foul and surface water sewers, they will invariably combine when they reach the existing sewer.

I believe the OP will be entiteld to full reimbursement of sewerage and surface water charges from the date they bought the property.

As for it being a 'liberty' for the water companies to assume that they can charge for foul and surface water draiange by default, that is unfortunately what the Regulations and OFWAT say they must do. It is unfortunately the responsibility of the customer to PROVE that isn't the case, not for the water company to investigate. The water companies these days will check if you claim otherwise and will (legally) charge you if you are found to be wrong.

withabix

Switch wrote:

The company was round in a flash fitting water meters to every property in the close oppps.

They will have done this because they are obliged to fit meters to properties built or converted after 1990 (ish), not just so they could charge more.

Speaking as someone who works in the water industry, constructing, upgrading and refurbishing water and sewage treatment works, I consider that it is only fair that you pay for your water consumption via a meter, given the investment which is going on in the industry and the costly processes which are necessary to provide a good qualtiy water supply and clean rivers and beaches.