What a Sewer Survey Covers
Sewer runs are larger and longer than domestic drains and they take flow from more than one source, so problems build up further from where the symptoms show. We run CCTV through the accessible line, record the condition of the pipework, and report what we find and where.
The equipment is the same as a CCTV drain survey; the scale and the consequences are not. A blocked domestic drain is one household. A failing shared sewer is several, and the argument about who pays follows shortly after.
Private Sewers, Shared Runs and Who Is Responsible
Since 2011 most shared sewers in England transferred to the water authority - Severn Trent across most of Nottingham. What remains private is typically the run within your own boundary, and anything installed since the transfer.
That distinction matters because it decides who pays. A survey establishes where the fault sits, which is usually the first thing anyone needs to settle before work starts. Our guide on who is responsible for a blocked drain goes into it further.
We survey and clear sewer runs on private land. For larger municipal sewer work we bring in specialist crews.
What You Get From the Survey
Every survey ends with a written report covering the route, the location and cause of anything we find, the condition of the pipework and what we would do about it. We include still images and can send the full footage on request.
The report is suitable for sharing with insurers, solicitors, surveyors or your water authority - which matters when a sewer fault turns into a question of liability. If the survey finds a blockage we can usually clear it on the same visit, and we also handle sewer cleaning and relining where the run needs more than clearing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a drain and a sewer?
Broadly, a drain serves one property and a sewer takes flow from more than one. The distinction decides who is responsible for it, which is why it comes up so often when something goes wrong.
Is my sewer my responsibility or the water company's?
Most shared sewers transferred to the water authority in 2011. What is usually still yours is the run inside your own boundary, and anything put in since. A survey establishes where the fault actually is, which settles the question.
Can you survey a sewer that is already blocked?
Yes, and often that is the right order - we clear enough of the line to get the camera through, then survey it to find out why it blocked. Clearing without surveying tends to mean clearing it again.
Do you work on public sewers?
We survey and clear sewer runs on private land. For larger municipal sewer work we bring in specialist crews.
How much does a sewer CCTV survey cost?
It depends on the length of the run and how accessible it is. Call us with the details and we will give you a fixed price over the phone before we come out. We do not charge for the quote.
Book a Sewer CCTV Survey in Nottingham
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