Drainage

It clears the rainwater from the roads and footpaths. The most common problems are blocked gullies and ditches which may result in water pooling on the surface.

All drainage associated with the public highway is the responsibility of the Highway Authority, Hampshire County Council.

Individual landowners are responsible for the drainage on their own land and for accepting and dealing with natural flows such as rivers and watercourses from adjoining land.

We have permissive powers available to enable us to intervene when ordinary watercourses become obstructed.

The Environment Agency has similar permissive powers in respect of main rivers.
Information on how to report problem with the rivers can be found on GOV.UK webpage.

The responsibility for maintaining almost all underground foul drains and sewers which are shared by two or more properties lies with the local sewerage authority. Most of our borough is covered by Thames Water. Some western parts of the borough are covered by Southern Water. Please refer to whoever you pay your bills to. If the pipework is built since 2012 and not adopted, property owners may be directly liable, and the council may take action.

These are normally privately owned and serve only one property. However, two or more houses can sometimes share them. In this case, the responsibility for maintenance and upkeep rests equally with the users of the facility. The council's Environmental Health team can take action to investigate and resolve problems with spillage, overflow or odour affecting septic tanks and cesspools.

If you have concerns regarding sewage pollution report it to us.

Inform us about pollution

If you have a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant you must comply with the ‘general binding rules’ by ensuring your system is maintained properly and does not cause pollution. Extra protection is in place in areas designated as environmentally sensitive, where people may need to apply for a permit if they install a new system.

You can read the general binding rules in full and find further information on the GOV.UK website