Report a blocked drain or private sewer

What to do if you want to report a blocked public drain or sewer.

Drains and sewers are either privately owned by the owners of the houses they serve, or, in the North Norfolk district, are the responsibility of Anglian Water.

If the blockage or disrepair occurs in a section of pipe that drains a number of properties and they are connected to the public sewer system, then the responsibility for the clearance or repair rests with Anglian Water and you should contact them on 08457 145 145.

If the owners of properties served by a private sewer do not arrange for the clearance of any blockage, we can serve a legal notice requiring the work to be done.

Drainage and sewerage

The Council has statutory powers to require drains and private sewers to be cleared and if necessary can enforce the required work at the expense of the owner. It is always preferable for residents to resolve drainage matters themselves as referring investigations to Environmental Health will incur additional administration costs.

Environmental Health staff will determine the extent of the problem, the number of properties involved, the action required to resolve the problem, and who is responsible. This usually results in either informal or formal action being taken. Please contact the Environmental Protection team using our online form for further information.

Problems relating to public sewers should be handled by Anglian Water who are responsible for maintaining the sewers in this area.

Land Drainage: Riparian Ownership

Rivers, streams and ditches are the responsibility of the 'riparian' landowners who own land on either bank.

If your property is adjacent to a watercourse of any description you are a riparian owner and should be maintaining it regularly. This will have the benefit of reducing the risk of flooding from the watercourse at times of wet weather - both for you and your neighbours.