The network of drains and sewers which take sewage, waste water and rainwater away from your home.  There are two basic types of system:

• Combined systems, which take both rainwater and sewage / waste water.
• Separate systems, which put rainwater through a surface water system (often leading to a stream, river or soakaway) and a separate foul system, where sewage / waste water is taken away through pipes connected to a waste water treatment works etc.

Both systems can be made up of three types of pipes:

• Private drains – these serve just one property and are located within that property boundary.
• Lateral drains – these also serve just one property but are the part of your pipe work that is located outside your property boundary.
• Public sewers – these serve more than one property and can be located inside or outside the property boundary.

Public sewers and lateral drains are the responsibility of the water/sewerage company to whom you pay your sewerage rates.

Private drains are the responsibility of the householder. (Private drains that were constructed before October 1937, however, are the responsibility of the water/sewerage company.)

Note: There are a number of exceptions, for example, surface water systems that drain to watercourses, land drainage, highway drainage, privately owned sewage treatment works and pipes connected to them and privately owned septic tanks/cesspits are not the responsibility of the water/sewerage company.

Who do I contact regarding problems with public sewers and lateral drains?

You should click on one of the links below for advice and contact methods, depending on which water company you pay your sewerage rate to:

• for Yorkshire Water 
• for Severn Trent 
• for Anglian Water 

Who do I contact regarding problems with drains within the boundary of my property?

If the property is a St Leger Homes property contact Customer Services on 01302 736000 and your details will be passed to St Leger Homes. Alternatively you can contact the St Leger Homes repairs helpline direct on 01302 862862.

If the property is private, either owner occupied or tenanted, the responsibility lies with the property owner.

As the owner, you should contact a plumber or drainage contractor or check with your insurance policy, if you have one.

If you are renting the property, report the problem to your landlord.

Who do I contact regarding water pollution incidents caused by sewers and drains?

If a sewer or drain problem  is causing a pollution incident this can be reported to the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

The following website can be used to:

• help householders check if they have any wrong connections
• answer some frequently asked questions, including who is responsible for making any corrections
• help people plumbing in new appliances to get the connections right

 http://www.connectright.org.uk/

Report blocked drains

• In case of difficulty finding out who is responsible, if you have a problem that you cannot resolve, or to report a drainage problem that is not your responsibility, you can contact us online:
• Environmental Health - request for service
• You can contact Customer Services on 01302 736000. The information will be passed on to the Environmental Health Enforcement Team. 

You can also contact us by email: nuisance.team@doncaster.gov.uk

When you contact us

• - make sure you give your name, address, telephone number and e-mail (if applicable)
• - provide full and truthful details of the issue of concern
• - keep appointments made and ensure safe access for our people

When we are dealing with you

We will:

• deal with you in a fair, courteous, impartial and confidential way
• provide a high level of expertise (consistent with our resources)
• respond to service requests for blocked drains within one working day  
• provide you with the name of the person dealing with your complaint and how to contact them
• produce identification when visiting your home
• explain how the system works and tell you when things will happen
• keep you informed of progress and any delays
• answer telephone calls within five rings
• respond to postal or e-mail enquiries within seven days
• tell you why, when we cannot resolve a problem                                 

 If we get it wrong

Sometimes things go wrong. If you are dissatisfied with the service we have given you please contact us on 01302 737573 and ask for the Team Leader.

If you are still not satisfied and want to use the formal complaints procedure write to the address supplied below. 

For further information, please contact us: 

• email: team@doncaster.gov.uk
• address: Doncaster Council, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU
• tel: 01302 737573

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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