Quick answer
Selby sits low on the River Ouse. Drains and outfalls have less room to work when the river is high. As a result, water that should flow away can back up faster in heavy or prolonged rain. Slow, gurgling or smelly drains after wet weather are often linked to that. Send a request for blocked drains through the contact form, and ask the engineer to explain the fault before work starts.
Why wet weather hits Selby drains
River levels depend on rain across a wide area, not just the rain over town. When the Ouse runs high, pipes and outfalls that drain towards it have less room to empty. As a result, a drain that copes in dry weather can start to struggle.
This is a general rule, not a forecast for any one street. A drain can also block from grease, wipes or leaves, with or without a high river. The signs look the same, however, so check the pipe before you blame the weather.
Yorkshire Water is the sewerage company for Selby. It looks after the public sewers, while you look after the drain inside your own boundary. Ask which one owns your pipe.
Signs of a blocked drain to watch for
Wet weather can make these signs worse fast, because a slow drain may back up. Watch for these:
- Water draining more slowly than normal from a sink, bath or shower
- Gurgling from a drain, plughole or toilet, particularly after heavy rain
- A foul smell around an outside gully or manhole cover
- Standing water that does not clear from a gully once the rain stops
- More than one fixture affected at the same time
If these appear during or after heavy rain, act on them instead of waiting. A slow drain today can back up fully tomorrow, since a struggling outfall adds pressure.
Safe first checks before you ask for help
Two checks are worth doing first. Wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards, because drain water carries germs. Stop if anything looks unsafe.
- Clear the outside gully grate. Silt and leaves settle in an outside gully, and a blocked grate can look like a blocked drain further along.
- Count the fixtures. One slow sink usually means a small blockage nearby. Several fixtures slowing together, or a downstairs drain reacting when the bath empties upstairs, point to the shared run.
Next, ask your neighbours, since Yorkshire Water says that if nearby homes have the same problem, the blockage is probably in its sewers. Never try to unblock a sewer yourself, and keep clear of any sewage.
How a blocked drain gets cleared
Most jobs use one of two methods. While drain rods break up a simple blockage close to the fixture, drain jetting uses high-pressure water. It scours the full width of the pipe instead of punching a hole through the middle.
Our guide to why outside drains block and how they get cleared covers both methods in more detail. While you prepare, the drain unblocking page for Selby lists what to put in your request.
If sewage is coming up inside, mark your request urgent. Our guide to what counts as a drain emergency explains the first steps. Read what to do while you wait for a reply while you wait.
When one clear is not enough
If a drain keeps blocking, especially in wet weather, look for a fault in the pipe itself. A CCTV drain survey in Selby shows what is inside the pipe, for example roots, a shifted joint or a section that holds water. Ask for the findings in writing.
If the survey finds damage, ask about drain repairs in Selby. Relining can mend a pipe without digging, while excavation replaces a failed section. Ask the engineer for a written quote before work starts, and ask what the repair covers and for how long.
Since not every home near the river uses mains drainage, check yours. If it has a septic tank, read our guide to septic tank emptying in the Vale of York. The Selby drainage page and the full locations list show the services for each area.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Why do drains in Selby block more in wet weather?
When the River Ouse runs high, drains that empty towards it have less room to clear. Blockages and slow drains then show up during or just after wet spells, although grease and wipes cause them too. Check the pipe before you blame the river.
Who looks after the sewers in Selby?
Yorkshire Water is the sewerage company for Selby. You look after the drain from your home to your boundary, while Yorkshire Water looks after the public sewer beyond it. Ask your neighbours if you are not sure.
Should I clear a gully myself?
You can lift the grate and clear leaves and silt if you wear gloves and it is safe to do so. Leave sewage and any deeper blockage alone, because a sewer is never a do-it-yourself job. Stop if a gully smells of sewage.
Does a slow drain always mean a river problem?
No, because grease, wipes, roots and damaged pipes cause slow drains too. If the problem returns in dry weather, ask for a camera survey. That shows whether the river is to blame.
