Water and Waste Pipes - Your Responsibilities and Obligations
Hidden in the ground under a homeowner's drive, garden or paths are the water and waste pipes that are vital to the occupants of the property.
One connects to the water mains pipe in the street that delivers fresh water to a home whilst the other flushes wastewater into a sewer.
The homeowner is responsible for maintaining the water pipe between the boundary of their property and the home.
Beyond the boundary, it is the responsibility of the water authority.
The wastewater leaves the house through a private drain and the homeowner is responsible for maintaining it until it either joins
up with a pipe that serves in excess of one home or once it reaches the boundary of the property when it becomes the responsibility
of the water authority.
So, if the homeowner were having an extension built and that required the water and waste pipes to be moved it would be their
responsibility to arrange for the work to be carried out and cover the cost of doing so.
Hopefully, the above will prove as a useful guide.