The request form on this page accepts messages 24/7. Mark your request urgent if water is rising, to help the engineer decide what to do first. Then use the questions below when the engineer replies.
The request form accepts addresses in Malton and these nearby districts and villages:
Malton and Norton face each other across the River Derwent. The 2021 Census counted about 6,300 people in Malton and 7,900 in the adjoining Norton-on-Derwent area. The river shapes how people think about water here. Drains near the banks feel its changes first, while higher streets may notice less.
North Yorkshire Council's resilience forum lists Yorkshire Water in a pumping plan for Malton, Norton and Old Malton. The plan covers flooding from the river. It shows that several agencies work together, since the Derwent can rise fast. Your own drain is still your job.
Yorkshire Water runs the sewers in Malton. Blockages inside your boundary are yours to clear. If your neighbours also have trouble, tell Yorkshire Water, since the fault may lie in the public sewer. Do not try to clear a public sewer yourself.
Malton has many food shops, cafes and restaurants. Fat and grease from kitchens can build up in pipes, because they set hard when cool. Yorkshire Water says wipes cause nearly 50% of blockages in Yorkshire, so bin them instead of flushing. A short cleaning plan helps busy kitchens.
Malton has a Roman past, and its museum tells that story. Digging in the old centre can turn up remains, so it can be slow. Ask whether a no-dig repair would suit your drain, because it avoids most of the digging. Compare that quote with the cost of a dig.
A non-return valve on the main drain can stop sewage flowing back in. This matters most for homes near the Derwent, because the river can rise fast. Ask the engineer whether a valve would suit your home. Ask what it covers, and how to keep it working.
Malton has older homes and newer ones. Older properties can have pipes that owners changed over time. A camera survey shows the route and the state of each run, since plans may be missing. That helps when you plan building work or a purchase.
Some homes share a drain at the back. If one kitchen sends fat down the pipe, the whole run can slow. Talk to your neighbours early, since a shared fault needs a shared fix. Yorkshire Water has a guide on who looks after which pipe.
If a cover or gully outside is full, read blocked manholes and outside drains. Read about why outside drains block and how they are cleared before you ask for the run to be cleared.
Yorkshire Water runs the public sewers in Malton. A blockage inside your boundary is yours to clear. If your neighbours have the same problem, tell Yorkshire Water, because the fault may be in the public sewer. Never try to clear a sewer yourself.
Fat and grease from kitchens are common causes. Wipes are another, since Yorkshire Water says they cause nearly 50% of blockages in Yorkshire. Put fat in the bin and never flush wipes. Regular checks help busy kitchens.
They can. High river levels may slow drains close to the water, although homes further away may not notice. A non-return valve on the main drain can reduce the risk of sewage flowing back in. Ask the engineer if one would suit your property.
Digging in the old centre can turn up Roman and later remains, so it can be slow. Ask whether a no-dig repair would suit your drain. A camera survey shows whether relining is possible. Compare that quote with the cost of digging.
Only water, human waste and toilet paper should go down the toilet. Put wipes in the bin, even ones sold as flushable. Yorkshire Water says wipes cause nearly 50% of blockages in Yorkshire. Keep fat and grease out of the sink, because it sets hard in cold pipes. A strainer in the sink catches food scraps.