Manhole on shared sewer, whose responsibility?

[Bob49]

Hi,

Thursday during the heavy rain foul water was escaping into my garden. I found the manhole was nearly full and that water was getting out through a crack in one of the stackable plastic risers.

The cause of the blockage is being sorted out by Yorkshire Water as shared sewers are their responsibility.

But what about the manholes on shared sewers? Whose responsibility are these?

I can easily seal the crack with something, but maybe I am not allowed to touch it?

Also are stackable plastic inspection chambers normally (if not broken) supposed to be watertight? Obviously the water is not supposed to rise up the manhole in the first place, but it can happen if the sewer is blocked.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[pete50]

When our shared sewer blocked in the sewer pipe that is Yorkshire water board's responsibility, the guy that came out told that me "legally", his word, they required access from the point where the two sewer pipes join. As we didn't have one, apparently our gully, his word, is underground with no access. He said it was their responsibilty to put an access point in at the join. Anyway he cleared the blockage and told me to contact Yorkshire water to arrange to have a sewer built. I did that and was asked why I wanted it so I told them that the guy who came out told me that I had to have it. Yorkshire water then said not to worry about it. If it blocks they would come out and clear it at their cost.

Apparently the manholes and the pipes to where they join are the responsibility of you and whoever you are sharing with. The manhole and the single pipe to the main sewer is the responsibilty of the water board. But they may try to wriggle out of it.

 

[bernardgreen]

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/publications/transfer-of-private-sewers/

The brickwork of the manhole on the shared sewer in my yard was repaired and the concrete lid replaced with a steel lid by Anglian Water free of charge

 

[Ian H]

The plastic risers should have a rubber seal but often they are roughly backfilled and get twisted or slightly deformed so they leak.

 

[Bob49]

Thanks for all the replies

The plastic risers should have a rubber seal but often they are roughly backfilled and get twisted or slightly deformed so they leak.

Yet again an example of cheap modern rubbish. You should see my father-in-laws Victorian manholes, with glazed bricks, to stop rats climbing I presume, works of art!

So I guess I should expect some leakage then considering an inspection chamber base is only about 225mm high, more than likely in heavy rain water would rise above that.

It makes me sad.

 

[Ian H]

Water should pass by without issue, even during heavy rain it shouldn’t see the top of the pipe.