Who owns drainage pipes?
Some pipes belong to owners or occupiers of buildings or land. Others are owned by water companies such as Anglian Water. You can determine ownership from the age of the properties that are connected to the pipes and whether the pipes are drains or sewers. Who owns a drain? Drains legally belong to the owner or occupier of the property they are connected to even if they go under someone else’s land or road. The owner or occupier is responsible for maintaining or unblocking them when there are problems. Who owns a sewer? Sewer pipes will often run along the front or back of several properties or towards the road. The age of the properties connected to them is important because it determines who owns the sewer.With properties built before October 1937, the shared sewer pipe is called a public sewer. These are owned by the water company which serves your area and they are legally responsible for maintaining them. In Cambridge this is Anglian Water. For properties built after October 1937
