Water under house

[Harry Bloomfield]

It definitely does go up with rain and goes down significantly in Summer. My house is built on blue clay which doesn't drain well either.

I have a pump so will pump it out and get some drainage quotes. I guess a plastic gulley drain would work?

You will need to have a chat with your local water authority about what you are paying for in the way of drainage and what you can do, but....

I cannot imagine they built a terrace of four houses, all draining onto your property without some sort of proper mains drainage. If there are other similar properties around you, take a look at what arrangements they have.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I am pretty sure the underground drainage is Severn Trent's responsibility but I thought I was responsible for the gulley or drainage system connecting to it.

If the gulley or drain serves only your property. Once it becomes shared with another property, or passes under the boundary, it moves to their remit. As you've the runoff from 4 properties coming out that downpipe, I'd be confident it would be classed as shared.

If the other end drains into the sewer, then you have a case to argue your end should do the same.

 

[Dupont]

If the gulley or drain serves only your property. Once it becomes shared with another property, or passes under the boundary, it moves to their remit. As you've the runoff from 4 properties coming out that downpipe, I'd be confident it would be classed as shared.

If the other end drains into the sewer, then you have a case to argue your end should do the same.

It should drain into sewer and Severn Trent provide that service. I will be responsible for the connection to that sewer though. Also, I don't know where the sewer is located. The foul waste sewer runs along the back of house under our gardens, but not sure where rain water one is.

 

[Dupont]

I have had a look through paperwork from Severn Trent when we purchased and it doesn't look like we have a surface water drain.

There is a foul waste drain that runs through the back garden of all 4 houses and that connects to main sewer at the other end of my block.

Does this mean a soakaway is my only option? I don't mind paying out for one as long as it cures the problem of water under my living room floor.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have had a look through paperwork from Severn Trent when we purchased and it doesn't look like we have a surface water drain.

Is that from reading your water bill?

There is a foul waste drain that runs through the back garden of all 4 houses and that connects to main sewer at the other end of my block.

Does this mean a soakaway is my only option? I don't mind paying out for one as long as it cures the problem of water under my living room floor.

Best talk to ST, to ask if they can provide drainage first. Sometimes foul and rain water drains are one combined system. I would be surprised you lacked both a soak-away and mains drainage. With four houses draining to yours I find it even more surprising their is no proper arrangement. If soak-away, I would expect each house in the block to have their own fall pipe and soak-away.

If a cost is involved, then I suspect the cost would have to be a shared cost between you and your neighbours. If ST were dealing with the rain water, they would be paying for it's disposal on the water bill.

Really, I think we need more photos - wider shots of the layout of the terraced houses.

 

[Dupont]

Is that from reading your water bill?

No, it was a layout of drains for the block of 4 terraced houses. Clearly it shows just one drain at the back where soil pipes, bathroom and kitchen waste drain into and it connects to main sewer at the other end of block.

There is a manhole cover in the alley between my house and the next block of 4 houses. That services the drains for the next four houses. I have just been out and noticed my neighbour (on alley side) has her rain water going into a gulley that then drains into that main drain. I will take some more photos. Thank you.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Read your water bill or ring ST, you may well be paying for mains drainage.

 

[Dupont]

Read your water bill or ring ST, you may well be paying for mains drainage.

I am paying. Does that mean ST should pump out the water under my lounge?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I am paying. Does that mean ST should pump out the water under my lounge?

No, it is your problem to deal with, but if you are paying for rain water disposal, then you can fit a gulley so all that water from the roofs/rooves goes into their drainage system. If your across the passage neighbour drains into it, I suspect you will already have a similar arrangement - perhaps it has been buried and lost.

What ever you do, get it sorted out - all that water will be rotting your under floor timbers.

 

[Dupont]

No, it is your problem to deal with, but if you are paying for rain water disposal, then you can fit a gulley so all that water from the roofs/rooves goes into their drainage system. If your across the passage neighbour drains into it, I suspect you will already have a similar arrangement - perhaps it has been buried and lost.

What ever you do, get it sorted out - all that water will be rotting your under floor timbers.

 

[Dupont]

Oh definitely I am onto it. It looks like ST advise if they only provide a foul waste drain then they are ok with surface water draining into the foul drain if they are charging for removal of it. They do however say they would prefer it if you installed a soakaway.

I will take some more pictures shortly.

There is quite a way from joists to water at present. At least 3 feet.

 

[Dupont]

I have some more pics. As you can see in alley to right my neighbour has her drain from kitchen and the rainwater gulley going into a smaller drain at side of her house which I imagine connects to her foul sewer via manhole cover. That manhole doesn't service our foul sewer as that is at other end of the block.

As you can see my rain water has nowhere to go as it looks like gulley has been filled in with concrete and just left to drain on that.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

See if you can get that manhole cover off and work out what pipes are in it. I suspect there might be one in there, which originally had your gulley draining into it. It might just be the photo, but your neighbour's gulley, looks as if it is fairly new.

 

[Dupont]

See if you can get that manhole cover off and work out what pipes are in it. I suspect there might be one in there, which originally had your gulley draining into it. It might just be the photo, but your neighbour's gulley, looks as if it is fairly new.

There is a foul drain under that cover servicing her house and 3 others in her block. Her gulley isn't new but the small grid and drain connection look very new. Her rain water is definitely draining into that drain under manhole.

My rainwater has nowhere to go though as I have no gulley or connection to a sewer. If I definitely knew that was the cause of water under my house I would fix it. I need to be certain though as that water is the priority at the minute.

 

[Dupont]

I have emailed the Environment Agency today to ask if they know if the Water Table is high at my address just so I can rule that out.