An umpleasant day - again!!

evilgoose

Got to my house today to be greeted by a unpleasant smell, lifted the manhole to be met with a blocked chamber full of human waste - not very nice!!

Now I know the chamber was spotless a few weeks ago - I keep a regular check and it was fully blocked with debris last year - two sacks full. This must have come up from the main sewer as some of the stones were to large to have got in there any other way.

The waste has definately not come from my house - as I'm not living there as renovating - I dont even have a bathroom yet!

I turned the tap on and filled several buckets of water to try and flush the muck out. Effentually it did clear most of it away - the 'rodding access' is the only way for the waste to leave as the 'u' bend is blocked. I used a long flexible stick and puched it down the pipe to which leads to the sewer and could feel some large stones in there. (which again must have come up from the main sewer as the pipe had been rodded and was clear last year).

My point been - I'm paying something like £500 a year water and waste - can I complain to the water company about the main sewer? I dont see why I should have to keep dealing with this when it is coming from them not from my property.

thanks,

swagman

Contact your water company at the phone number on your latest bill, or the number in the phone book. They are responsible for the public sewer and a check by them will tell you where they believe the problem lies. If the problem is the public sewer they will cover any costs of repair.
You are responsible for the drain between your property and the public sewer, so if your drain turns out to be the problem, then any costs will be your responsibility.
The local authority also has an environmental health interest in drains and has the power to enforce repairs by both water companies and by the owners of private drains.
Start with the water company.

ormus

http://www.ukfloodbarriers.co.uk/backwatervalve100.asp

why not fit a flap valve in your pipe?