Drains in Plymouth
Plymouth is a city in Devon, just across the Tamar from Cornwall. The Tamar Bridge joins it to Saltash, while the Torpoint Ferry runs from Devonport to Torpoint. Both crossings tie the city to its Cornish neighbours.
Every home here has drains, and the rules on who owns them are the same across the city. This page sets out those rules, because the line between your pipe and the public sewer is easy to miss. It also lists the drain services you can ask about.
Plymouth and its neighbourhoods
Plymouth City Council runs the city. Its wards include Devonport, Stoke and Southway, while Plympton and Plymstock are suburbs within it. Each ward follows the same drain rules.
Road flooding is a different matter to a drain at home. Tell the council about a flooded road or a blocked road drain, but tell South West Water if sewage is flooding a property. Still, a drainage engineer can help with pipes inside your boundary.
Who looks after which drain in Plymouth
You own the drain that serves only your home, up to your boundary. Beyond that point the pipe belongs to South West Water, because it is a lateral drain or a sewer. A pipe that carries waste from more than one home counts as a sewer.
Water companies took over private sewers and lateral drains on 1 October 2011. A blockage inside your boundary is still yours to clear, although an engineer can trace where it starts. Ask them to explain what they find.
Drain services in Plymouth
A slow sink usually means a partial blockage, because water cannot pass freely. Read about blocked drains in Plymouth to learn the common causes. Then see how drain unblocking in Plymouth clears them.
A CCTV drain survey in Plymouth shows what is inside a pipe. Drain jetting in Plymouth can wash out grease or silt. For cracked or collapsed pipes, see drain repairs in Plymouth, since a jet cannot mend a break.
When water is backing up now, mark your request urgent. The page on emergency drain services in Plymouth explains what to do first. Do not wait, because sewage and floodwater can be harmful.
Plumbing, bathroom and boiler help in Plymouth
Drains are not the only job. You can also send a request for a plumber, a bathroom fitter or a gas boiler engineer. For a yearly check, see boiler servicing in Plymouth. A Gas Safe registered engineer must do gas work.
If the boiler has a fault, read about boiler repair in Plymouth. For a burst pipe, see an emergency plumber in Plymouth. To trace damp or a hidden leak, see leak detection and repair in Plymouth.
Planning a new bathroom? See bathroom fitting in Plymouth, which covers what a quote should list.
Boiler pages cover gas boilers only. Each page explains what to ask before work starts.
Questions to ask before work starts
The engineer who takes your job sets the price and the terms. So ask a few questions first, because answers differ from one engineer to the next. They also help you compare quotes.
- Can I have a written quote before work starts?
- Is there a call-out charge?
- What guarantee covers the work?
- Can you tell me what caused the problem?
Guides and nearby areas
Not sure if you have a blockage? Read our guide to the warning signs of a blocked drain first, because early signs are easy to miss. Then compare them with what you see at home.
The same rules apply nearby, since both places sit inside the city. See drain services in Plymstock or drain services in Plympton. Each page lists its own ward names.
Plymouth on the map
Plymouth
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Plymouth drainage FAQs
Who looks after the sewer outside my Plymouth home?
South West Water looks after public sewers in the city. It also looks after lateral drains, which are the pipes beyond your boundary. You look after the drain inside your boundary, because it serves only your home.
Who do I tell about a flooded road in Plymouth?
Tell Plymouth City Council about a flooded road or a blocked road drain. Tell South West Water if sewage is flooding your property, because sewers are its job. A drain engineer can help with pipes inside your boundary.
Is there a call-out fee for a drain engineer in Plymouth?
That depends on the engineer who takes the job. Ask whether there is a call-out charge before you agree to a visit, because charges differ. Ask for a written quote before work starts.
Can I send a drain request for Plymouth at night?
You can send a request through the form at any time, day or night. Mark it urgent if water is backing up, because that shows what matters most. Sewage coming into your home is a good reason to do so.