Drain overflowing

[Nige F]

So grid off and I’ve cleared what I can and reached as far as I can go

it seems the pipe that feeds to the sewer is too high. The drains around the front of the house are also too high and I get puddles when it rains. (Big dip in the middle under the window)



T
there’s a manhole cover in the garden.

There’s a stream at the back. I have a slight fear as this house was built in 1939 they drain it to the stream and nobody has fixed it, which I know is illegal these days. However, I used to paddle in the stream as a kid and I could see people’s shower and washing machine waste going in there!!

I may be worrying over nothing. The manhole cover looks official, I’d be very surprised if I wasn’t connected to the main sewer lol

I wonder if all these drain issues are a bit of subsidence. The middle of the house at front, the concrete in the middle has clearly sunk below the level of the 2 drains at each corner.

!

Lift the manhole in the garden - you could have seen soap in the stream - illegal discharge into rainwater drains - Middle of house in front , a soakaway from the drains ( RW?) @ each corner.

 

[HERTS P&D]

These might help:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/bailey-b...VibPtCh3oDQONEAQYBCABEgLBFfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Andy

 

[Ian H]

If you have a manhole look in there and see if the water flows past when the level in the gully drops. That would be the best place to send your pressure washer with jetting attachment on it.

 

[Dylan123]

If you have a manhole look in there and see if the water flows past when the level in the gully drops. That would be the best place to send your pressure washer with jetting attachment on it.

I’m going to sound like a right wimp but won’t the manhole cover have raw sewage running through? Isn’t this where sewage and waste water combine in the shared sewer?

I was hoping to avoid that!

 

[HERTS P&D]

Lift off the cover and post a picture.

Andy

 

[Ian H]

I’m going to sound like a right wimp but won’t the manhole cover have raw sewage running through? Isn’t this where sewage and waste water combine in the shared sewer?

I was hoping to avoid that!

Only if someone flushes and don’t worry, the turds don’t bite!!

 

[HERTS P&D]

I was jetting a soil stack today and got a bit 'dirty'.



Andy

 

[Nige F]

Lift the manhole in the garden - LIFT IT .

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Wear suitable gloves, and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, you'll probably be in more danger from COVID-19 than anything in your drain....

 

[Dylan123]

Eeeeewwwww. I don’t have to deal with turds in my professional work!

actually I do, they are called “colleagues”

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Wont be any turds down a gulley under normal circumstances, although if system is badly blocked, you could get a backup of sewage from a gulley. Toilets must always be directly connected to the drain, for obvious reasons.

 

[Dylan123]

I note my rainwater from the roof goes into the same drain as the waste water, which then looks to go to the manhole shared sewer. I know you can’t put waste water into rainwater run offs, but it’s allowed to put rainwater to the sewer, correct?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Yes, rainwater can go to the sewer in older properties, this is known as a 'Combined Sewer'. Unfortunately the problem then arises in times of heavy rainfall the sewers cant cope and 'Combined Storm Overflows' then operate, tipping diluted sewage into the rivers and seas, then what does arrive at the Sewage works, to avoid swamping the treatment process has to be stored and pumped back for treatment when the flow slows down again. Any surplus goes out to the watercourse.

Modern systems involved separating foul water from WC's, baths etc, and rainwater. Foul naturally goes to the sewage works for treatment, Storm or Surface Water drains take the rainwater runoff and go to the nearest suitable watercourse, hence why waste water cannot go into them.

 

[Dylan123]

Ok so I don’t have an old style mop but I am improvising with a broom handle, an old cushion and a plastic bag and hot water. Can’t go and get a new one as we all have health issues so are largely isolating for C19 reasons. Wish me luck, I’ll tell you how I get on.

I think we found why this has happened. My mother in law has been dumping soil down the drain while gardening! Every tome I found soil in the drain and I hope it’s not all blocked further down.

it would have a job to get down there as it should just stay in the drain not the gulley. Only the light stuff would make it up to the gulley entrance

 

[HERTS P&D]

These might help:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/bailey-b...VibPtCh3oDQONEAQYBCABEgLBFfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Andy