When very heavy rain falls on hard surfaces drainage and sewers are often overwhelmed and surface water builds up. This can also be caused by the collection of mud, leaves and other debris that block drains.

If the water remains standing on the surface when the rain has stopped please let us know but allow a reasonable amount of time for the water to drain away before you do this.

Report a blocked drain

Report broken or missing drain covers

If you think that the flood may be an emergency situation, please contact us immediately instead of filling in the reporting form.

The Met Office posts weather information for Surrey including severe weather warnings.

Page contents

• Maintaining our drains
• Flooding and wetspots
• Frequently asked questions about drainage
• Living next to a watercourse - your rights and responsibilities
• Preventing surface water
• Sewers
• Drain cleaning

Maintaining our drains

How often we clean drains

We have about 160,000 drains located at the side of roads. They are cleaned at least once every two years, however in known problem areas and on major roads we clean them more frequently either annually or twice a year.

We assess the condition of our drains every time they are cleaned and adjust the frequency so that we can target those that require more regular cleaning. This may mean that those in good condition are cleaned less frequently. We don't clean drains in car parks, blocks of flats or private roads.

Please see drain cleaning for further information.

Reasons why drains can become blocked

• Drain covered in leaves or other debris
• Connecting pipes blocked with debris or silt;
• Tree roots blocking the pipes
• Cracks in older pipes
• Breaks in connecting pipes due to ground movement

How we unblock drains

We use high-pressure hoses to blast through the pipes to try and clear a blockage and a root cutter attachment to clear tree roots. If we aren't able to clear the blockage we use a camera to locate the problem. Often the only solution is to dig the road up and replace the pipework.

How the drains are cleaned

A tanker with a suction hose takes an average of five minutes to clear each drain.

• The drain cover is lifted
• The hose is lowered into the drain pot and the sediment and debris vacuumed up into the tanker
• Water is then flushed back in to the drain to ensure the system is working properly

Please help us by not tipping waste such as concrete and oil down the drains as this can block the pipes and contaminate ditches, streams and rivers.

Access to drains

Sometimes we need to clean the drains but can't because cars are parked over them. If we need to clean the drains in a road where there are normally cars parked, we will put signs up showing the planned cleaning dates. Please help us by parking elsewhere during this period.

Recycling drain waste

The debris and sediment that we collect is taken to a state of the art drain waste-recycling centre where 60% is recycled. Grit and sand is removed from the waste and used in asphalt and concrete production and the cleaned water is used for washing gravel.

Flooding and wetspots

What is a wetspot?

A "wetspot" is a term we use to record the location of a reported, recurring flood incident which is unlikely to be solved through our day-to-day activities. This might be a problem caused by or affecting the highway, or be an issue affecting homes, businesses or important infrastructure.

How do I report a wetspot?

Wetspots are flooding incidents and you can report a wetspot online.

How are wetspots prioritised?

Score

Each wetspot is assessed and given a score. A number of factors are taken into account when assessing each site, but the key things that contribute to a high score include:

• Risk to safety
• Property flooding
• Disruption to critical services
• Social and economic impacts
• Long duration and/or high frequency of flooding

All of this information is analysed and the overall score calculated. The score is a fact-based assessment to reflect the severity of the flood risk.

We prioritise work to the highest scoring wetspots and review the Medium and High categories annually with the Local Highways Teams. The score of all wetspots will be updated with the most recent information as it is received.

Status

There are four wetspot statuses:

• Current - The wetspot is an active flooding location but has not yet been prioritised for work
• In progress - The wetspot is being investigated for works to mitigate the risk; either through our works or through third party negotiations.
• Resolved - Works have already been carried out to try to reduce the flooding and the site is awaiting review during a heavy rainfall event to ensure the works have been successful
• Dormant - The wetspot has no recorded instances of flooding within the last two years and is being kept for information only.

When will wetspot 'X' be fixed?

When investigating sites for potential capital works, we try to resolve the highest scoring wetspots first, as these have the greatest impact. However, we do resolve lower scoring wetspots if the works can be carried out by the local area highway team, are incorporated into a larger maintenance scheme, or can be funded by a third party.

Are there wetspots in my area?

For more information about wetspots in your area, use the Surrey Interactive Map, search the current Surrey Wetspots List (below), or email flooding.enquiries@surreycc.gov.uk.

Frequently asked questions about drains

When are the drains are cleaned?

Please see drain cleaning to find out when the drains are due to be cleaned in your area.

We clean most drains once a year. In known problem areas, they are cleaned more frequently or in areas of low risk, they are cleaned less frequently.

Can you unblock the drain outside my house?

Yes, we are able to unblock drains on problem sites where the scheduled clean has proved insufficient. You can report blocked drains to us online.

We use a high pressure-jetting machine to clear any blockage. There is a high demand on this machine that inevitably means that we cannot deal with all problem sites immediately. We therefore prioritise sites that have potential to cause the most inconvenience, such as those regularly used by pedestrians and large numbers of vehicles.

In some cases there may be further problems with the drainage system itself which the high pressure jetter cannot fix, such as broken pipes. If this happens, we will let you know how long it is likely to take to fix.

Report a blocked drain

Will you be able to unblock drains blocked with fallen leaves?

Where a drain has been blocked due to fallen leaves, we will unblock them as part of our normal gully cleaning programme. In general, your local borough or district council are responsible for sweeping leaves off the roads.

What will you do about flooding from fields?

Road drains are only designed to deal with water from the road and pavement. It is the responsibility of the land owner to ensure that measures are put in place to prevent flooding from their fields.

It is an offence to allow water to run from private property on to the road and where we are aware of persistent problems we may take action against the landowner.

Who is responsible for clearing blocked ditches?

Most ditches alongside the roads belong to the adjacent landowner. We are responsible for a small number of ditches, for which we will carry out cleaning. Please report any blocked ditches for us to take the necessary action.

Report a blocked ditch

Privately owned ditches

The owner of the ditch has a responsibility to maintain the ditch, and ensure that water can flow unobstructed.

Adjacent owners should not carry out any work on the ditch that would interfere with its proper operation, or restrict road surface water draining into it.

Any proposals to put a pipe in a ditch, or otherwise alter it, will require land drainage consent. For more information about land drainage consent and to download a copy of the consent forms, please see our Ordinary Watercourse consents page.

Can you fix the water coming up through the road and flowing down it?

The most likely reason for this is a broken water main. Please report the problem to us in the first instance and we will investigate and take necessary action.

You can find out who your supplier is by going to the Water UK website.

Are you responsible for flood damage to my property?

If your house is flooded and you believe that it is due to the negligence of Surrey County Council, you can make a claim by writing to our Insurance Team.

Please provide details of the date and time of the incident, together with the details of the damage caused and what is being claimed for. You should also explain why you feel that we are responsible.

We will investigate your claim within 90 days and make a decision on whether we are liable.

For further information please see our webpage about Highways insurance claims.

What is a soakaway and what does it do?

A standard highways soakaway is a concrete chamber set in the ground, filled with course stone and rubble which allows surface water to naturally filter back in to the earth.

Soakaways are efficient and have low environmental impact, as well as avoiding the need for processing or adding to the current sewerage systems. They are a traditional and effective way of disposing of highway surface water which cannot be funnelled to a river or surface water system.

There are over 8,000 soakaways located in various locations across Surrey. These do not have scheduled maintenance but are treated as and when required.

My toilet won't drain as there is a blockage in the pipes outside. Can you fix it?

We are not responsible for sewage systems. This may be either the home owner's responsibility, or the responsibility of the local water supplier. This will depend where the blockage is.

The missing drain cover has been marked with a cone. Why hasn't it been replaced?

Sometimes replacing a drain cover may take a little longer than we would like. This could be because a suitable replacement is not currently in stock at one of our depots, or the drain cover is in a busy road and we need to arrange to do it at night, or with traffic signals.

While we wait to do the repair, the road will be made safe with either cones or barriers. Please contact us if you are concerned about the safety of any locations.

Who is responsible for broken, missing or sunken drain covers?

We are responsible for replacing broken or missing drain covers. Please report them to us using our online form.

Report a broken, missing or sunken drain cover

Who is responsible for broken, missing or sunken manhole covers?

Most manhole covers are owned and maintained by utility companies. Surrey County Council will, however, place a safety barrier around any emergency hazards to alert road users.

What happens if I drop my keys down a drain?

Unfortunately we are unable to assist in recovering keys or other items which have dropped down one of our drains.

Living next to a watercourse - your rights and responsibilities

Do you have a watercourse, such as a ditch, stream or river running through, or alongside, your property? If so, you are probably responsible for its maintenance and in legal terms you are a 'riparian owner'.

Are you a riparian owner?

If you have an ordinary watercourse or a main river running through your land or along the boundary of your property, you are likely to be the riparian owner or joint riparian owner; unless the watercourse is known to be owned by someone else. If the land on the other side of the watercourse is not in your ownership you are presumed to be the joint riparian owner together with the landowner on the other side. In the case of joint riparian ownership each party is presumed to own up to the centre line of the watercourse and therefore is responsible up to this point. If you are unsure whether you are the riparian owner of the watercourse running through your land, check the title deeds of your property.

Your rights

1. To receive a flow of water in its natural state, without undue interference in quantity or quality;
2. To protect your property against flooding from the watercourse and to prevent erosion of the watercourse banks or any nearby structures;
3. You usually have the right to fish in your watercourse however you must use legal methods and may need a rod licence;
4. Without an environmental permit, you can abstract a maximum of 20 cubic metres of water per day for the domestic purposes of your own household or for agricultural use (excluding spray irrigation). Most other types of abstraction will require a licence from the Environment Agency.

Your responsibilities

1. You have the responsibility to pass on flow without obstruction, pollution or diversion affecting the rights of others;
2. To maintain the banks and bed of the watercourse (including any trees and shrubs growing on the banks) and any flood defences that exist on it;
3. To maintain any approved structures on your stretch of the watercourse. These may include culverts, trash screens, weirs and mill gates;
4. You must not build a new structure (for example, a bridge or boardwalk) that encroaches upon the watercourse or alters the flow of water without first obtaining permission from Surrey County Council or the Environment Agency.

Further information

We have prepared some further information regarding frequently asked questions and some tips on maintaining your watercourse. There is also a factsheet which has more details about your rights and responsibility as a riparian owner and some further guidance for maintaining watercourses. These documents are available for download below.

If you have any further questions please contact us at flooding.enquiries@surreycc.gov.uk or phone the main Surrey County Council contact number.

A more detailed explanation of riparian issues can be found at the Environment Agency website.

Implementation of legislation

To reduce the risk of flooding Surrey County Council is encouraging riparian owners to work towards an effective watercourse system through a process of co-operation, liaison, advice and assistance wherever possible. However, under the Land Drainage Act 1991 all Councils have the powers to serve notice on riparian owners, for the removal of any blockage to an ordinary watercourse. Should the riparian owner fail to do so, the Council has powers to undertake the work themselves and recharge the costs to the riparian owner. The Council will try to resolve problems through discussion with the owners in the first instance and enforcement of legislation will only be used as the last resort.

Your responsibilities as a riparian owner are based on the legislation below:

1. The Public Health Act 1936
2. The Land Drainage Acts 1991 and 1994
3. Water Resources Act 1991
4. Environment Agency Land Drainage Byelaws 1981

Preventing surface water

You have a responsibility, as far as reasonably practicable, to prevent surface water running off your property onto, or across, the highway.

Such run-off may cause flooding or icing so creating a source of danger to the public.

You must not allow water from gutters or down pipes to discharge onto the surface of the highway, either directly or by leakage - closed grids can be used within footways in these circumstances. Gutters and down pipes must be regularly checked and kept in good repair.

Sewers

Sewerage systems deal with the removal and treatment of foul water/waste.

If your enquiry is about a public sewer, Thames Water Utilities Limited is the first point of contact.

Thames Water Utilities Ltd deals with all areas of Surrey except in the following areas where it deals with:

• 90% of Mole Valley
• 60% of Tandridge
• 95% of Waverley

They can advise on which companies cover the remainder.

They may refer you to your local District or Borough Council, suggest you contact us or the Environment Agency, depending on the nature of the enquiry.

Thames Water Utilities Ltd will send out an inspector who will look at the problem free of charge, and can advise on ownership or liability for sewers on private property or houses. The company deal with the day to day management of the sewerage system, which includes dealing with blocked sewers and spillages maintaining pipes and pumping stations.

Your District and Borough Council also hold public sewerage records and can advise you about ownership/liability.

Properties built after 1937

From 1 October 2011, water and sewerage companies in England and Wales will become responsible for private sewers, which are currently the responsibility of property owners. Previously, the sewers of properties built after 1937 were the responsibility of the property owner.

However, not all private pipes are included. There will be some cases where the property owners remain responsible for the sections of pipe between the property / building and the transferred private sewer or lateral drain.

To find out how you may be affected by the change of law, please see the information about the Private sewer transfer on the Thames Water website.

Properties built before 1937

With regard to houses built before 1937, any sewage problem inside or under the property/properties are treated as 'public property' and will be dealt with by Thames Water Utilities Ltd.

Drain cleaning

We aim to clean all drains on the public highway at least once every two years, although some drains will be cleaned annually or twice a year. We do not clean drains in car parks, blocks of flats, private garage areas or private roads. Drains in these areas are the responsibility of the owners.

See Maintaining our drains above to find out how we clean drains and why we sometimes cannot clean a drain.

We have a programme for cleaning drains in each area. We do not publish exact dates as the programme is subject to change due to factors outside of our control, such as weather events or utility works taking place.

Our contractor's performance is measured to ensure that programme dates are followed as closely as can reasonably be achieved, and to accommodate all of the factors that can lead to programme changes. Our contractor has a three month window to carry out drain cleaning which starts from the date on our initial programme.

Roads that have been identified as heavily parked are included on a separate 'vehicle over' programme. Historically these roads have been difficult to clean, therefore commuters and residents will be advised of when they will be cleaned so that the road can be cleared of parked cars.

In addition to this, drains located on dual carriageways with a speed limit of 40mph and over will be cleaned on a separate programme due to the traffic management required. This programme will include other highway maintenance functions (for example litter picking, grass cutting) to reduce the impact on traffic and minimise cost. More information on this can be found on our routine maintenance on high speed roads page.

For more information about drain cleaning or to report a blocked drain please contact us.