Saltash sits on the Cornish side of the River Tamar. Cornwall Council says it has no direct responsibility for foul drains and sewers, so a blockage is usually for you or the water company. Send a request and ask the engineer which pipe has the blockage. Since the cause is not always clear, a quick fix may not last.
A blocked drain often shows up as slow water, a gurgle or a bad smell. The cause is often simple, such as grease, wipes or hair. Sometimes, however, it is a fault in the pipe itself, so ask the engineer about the cause as well as the symptom.
Saltash is a Cornish town on the River Tamar, and the Tamar Bridge links it with Plymouth. Cornwall Council is the lead local flood authority for surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. South West Water, however, manages flooding from sewers.
South West Water took over many private sewers on 1 October 2011. A drain that serves only your home is still yours to look after, up to your boundary. A shared pipe, however, or one past your boundary, may belong to the water company, so ask the engineer where the blockage sits.
A typical visit starts at the sink, toilet or gully that is affected. The engineer then works back along the pipe to find the blockage. A good engineer explains what they found before they start work, since you are paying for the result.
Tip for Saltash: Cornwall Council's environmental protection team can act where a drainage problem risks public health. Even so, the council cannot make South West Water clear a public sewer. Small details help, because they narrow the search for the engineer.
Say which fixtures are slow and when the problem started. Photos can also help, but you do not need to take anything apart. The more detail you give, the easier it is for an engineer to quote, because they can plan the job.
Since every engineer sets their own terms, ask before work starts. These questions help you compare quotes fairly. Keep the answers, because they are easier to compare in writing.
That depends on the engineer who takes your job and how busy they are. You can send a request at any time, and you can mark it urgent. Ask for an arrival time when the engineer replies, because we cannot promise one.
The price depends on the blockage, the access and the method. Ask the engineer for a written quote before work starts. Also ask whether there is a call-out charge, since that varies between engineers.
Common causes are grease, wipes, hair, food waste and tree roots in older pipes. Property age and layout also matter, since older pipes crack more easily. A camera check can show the real cause if the blockage keeps coming back.
The same service is also listed for blocked drains in Torpoint and blocked drains in Plymouth. Each page has its own notes on drains and flooding, while the basic steps stay the same. You can read either one to compare.
For background, read how to keep kitchen drains clear. You can also browse all drainage pages for Saltash or the blocked drains overview, since each one covers a different angle. Whichever page you choose, the request form at the top of this page stays the same.