Drainage

Hertsmere service description and general drainage information.

Hertsmere Borough Council is the Land Drainage Authority for the Hertsmere area and has permissive powers granted under the Land Drainage Act 1991 and the Hertsmere Land Drainage Byelaws 1998 . These powers allow the Authority to maintain and improve existing ordinary watercourses, to construct new works and serve notice on persons, requiring them to carry out necessary works to maintain the flow in ordinary watercourses.

Drainage Services maintains a programme of flood defence works, carries out maintenance of strategic sections of the land drainage systems within the borough and provides assistance and advice to Stakeholders on drainage related matters including the acquisition of commercial opportunities.

Unfortunately determining the responsibility for drainage and flooding problems can be complicated.

Whos Responsible For What?

Drainage Services can advise you on the ownership and responsibility of a particular watercourse or drain, however, as a guideline:

Main rivers - Major watercourses and rivers like the River Colne and Tykes Water are designated Main Rivers and are under the control of the Environment Agency , contact them for further advice and help.

Non-main rivers, ordinary watercourses and land drainage are generally the responsibility of the owner of the land that it flows across. This person is known legally as the riparian owner .

Public sewer (click here for explanatory diagram) - A public sewer is a sewer that has been specifically adopted by the Water Company or drained foul and or surface water from two or more properties prior to 1st October 1937. These are the responsibility of the Water Company, Thames Water Utilities within the Hertsmere area. A copy of the public sewer map can be viewed at the Council offices during normal office hours.

Private Drain (click here for explanatory diagram) - A private drain is the connecting pipework from an individual property, or post 1st October 1937 properties, to the public sewer. This pipework is usually the responsibility of the property owner/s that drain through it at the point in question. The council does not have records of any private drainage.

Highway Drain (click here for explanatory diagram) - A highway drainage system collects run off from adopted highways, usually via road gullies and is the responsibility of the Highway Authority. Ditches that run along the side of adopted highways and collect highway run off may be the responsibility of the Highway Authority or the riparian owner or a combination of both.

What Do Drainage Services Do?

Services provided include the following:

Emergency cleaning of obstructions on sections of ordinary watercourses (including ancillary assets) where the Council is the riparian owner or where it has exercised its discretionary land drainage powers.
Emergency response to pollution incidents affecting watercourses, including co-ordinating with those responsible for the pollution source and liasing with the Environment Agency, Sewerage Undertaker (Thames Water), County Council (Highways) and the Emergency Services.
The provision of advice on flood warning, flooding related issues and drainage responsibility via the standby officers.
Provision of free sandbags and assistance during flooding subject to available funding and resources to the residents of the Borough, with priority being given to the most vulnerable.
The provision of an emergency response service, subject to availability of resources, to fee-paying customers, including the following:
-Drain blockage clearance
-Tanker works, including gully cleaning
-Over pumping
-High pressure jetting
-Manhole cover repairs
The provision of consultancy services to fee-paying customers including the following:

Design

-New Build & Maintenance of Existing Drainage Systems
-High Pressure Jetting
-Manhole Cover Repairs
-Drain Tracing
-Pollution Tracing / Studies
-CCTV Surveys to OS20x standard
-Minor Repairs to Sewers and Drains
-Maintenance of Watercourses and Control Structures on Behalf of Riparian Owner
-CAD Services
-Contract Documentation & Specification
-Project Management

Build & Maintenance

What Is A Watercourse?

A watercourse is defined as any channel through which water flows and can be open or enclosed underground as a culvert. Watercourses may be classed as either Main Rivers or Ordinary Watercourses.
Watercourses occur naturally, they serve to drain the land and assist in supporting flora and fauna.
Historically watercourses have taken surface water run off from buildings and roads, as well as fields and parks. In the process of development many have been culverted or changed in other ways.
In normal conditions the watercourse may be a dry channel in the ground
In storm conditions it may become a raging torrent
Continued development tends to increase the rate at which water is discharged to watercourses, (even though adequate safeguards to prevent this are available), a process that can lead to increased risk of flooding.

What is a Riparian Owner?

Under Common Law you are the RIPARIAN OWNER of any watercourse within or adjacent to the boundaries of your property
Where a watercourse is sited between two or more property boundaries each property owner is equally responsible
For clarification of any matter relating to your role as a Riparian Owner please contact Drainage Services who can also provide advice and assistance.

External Links:

drain1 Environment Agency
thames valley Thames Water Utilities Ltd