surface water drainage

frosty12345

Hi all,
We rent a flat in a modern apartment block which consists of 5 floors. Our water is metered and our provider is united utilities.

Our water bill has a section called something like - "surface water & drainage". For this we pay a fixed fee of around £70 per year.

My understanding of this fee is that united utilities remove the rain water from the property.

For me it seems strange that we pay the full £70/year for this. Presumably the people living in the flats above and below us also pay £70/year. So united utilities are collecting 5x £70/year (£350/year) to remove the rainwater from the one area of roof that covers the floor space of 5 flats.

I would expect us each to be paying £14/year (=£70/5) for the removal of water from the roof which is shared between us and those living above and below us.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Frost12345

Cardew

This has been covered many times in this section of MSE(search for Surface Water Drainage or SWD)

You are quite correct that the whole system of SWD is a mess and has been since metering charges came in in 1990.

Firstly the water companies have no option but initially charge properties for SWD as the Water Privatisation Act(of Parliament) stipulates that the default position would be that properties would pay SWD unless they claim relief.

You state your apartment block is 'modern' but not how old? Most buildings built in the last 25 years have surface water running into soakaways, and so can claim exemption from that charge. In most cases Building Planning Permission stipulates that surface water must not enter the sewer system.

It is not just water from gutters, but water that runs off the land(car parking areas etc) must not flow onto road and hence sewer.

So it would be well worth investigating if all the flats are exempt that charge.(they must submit individual claims and will not get the charge backdated before the beginning of the financial year)

It is also worth pointing out that the water companies have no financial interest in charging all of you for SWD or none of you. See other threads for an explanation and the Regulator's(ofwat) ruling.

In essence the revenue, and hence profit, raised by any water company is strictly controlled by ofwat. So if they say got £1million less from SWD, they would simply be allowed to raise other charges by £1million.

Please don't think I am defending the situation, or the water companies - blame Maggie!!

frosty12345

Hi,

Thanks for the (very) prompt reply. The apartments were built in 2006 (post code starting m4 7e*).

How would I go about investigating if we have a "soakaway"? Do you think i would be able to find it on the council planning permission?

Thanks again!
Frosty12345

Cardew

Try the developer or council.

It may well be that other apartment owners/tenants have already applied for relief.

The water companies can do a test - essentially put coloured water in gutters and check the sewer.