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 York and these nearby districts and villages:
York sits where the River Ouse and the River Foss meet. Since both rivers run through the city, river levels matter to many streets. When the water rises, drains near the banks can slow down. In bad cases they can back up into homes.
Yorkshire Water runs the public sewers in York. However, your own pipes are a different matter. The drain from your house to the shared pipe is usually yours. Shared drains and public sewers are the water company's job.
A 2011 law change moved many shared drains to the water company. Drains that serve only your own home, inside your boundary, stayed private, because the change covered shared pipes. The Yorkshire Water website has a guide called "Whose pipe is it?" that sets out the split. It is worth a read before you pay for any work.
York has a lot of older homes. A 2008 council survey of private homes counted 17.9% as built before 1919. That survey linked the oldest homes with areas such as Clifton, Micklegate, Fishergate and Holgate. Older homes often have older pipes, although every street differs.
Older homes can share a drain. If a blockage hits several homes at once, the fault may sit in a shared pipe or the public sewer. For example, if your neighbours in Groves or Bishophill also have slow drains, tell Yorkshire Water. The company says a sewer fault is likely when neighbours share the problem.
Digging in the old city centre can turn up old remains, so it can be slow. Ask whether a no-dig repair such as relining would suit your drain. Compare that quote with the cost of digging.
The Environment Agency looks after the main rivers in York. These are the Ouse, the Foss and the Derwent. The council clears road gullies and manhole covers. However, drains inside your boundary are your own to fix.
Wipes are a common cause of blocked pipes, since they do not break down. Yorkshire Water says they cause nearly 50% of blockages in Yorkshire. Even wipes sold as flushable should go in the bin. Fat and grease from kitchens also build up, so wipe greasy pans before washing.
Read about the signs that a drain needs repair before you pay for another clearance. Read what counts as a drain emergency before you decide whether a request can wait.
It depends on where the blockage sits. The pipe from your home to the shared drain is usually yours, while Yorkshire Water looks after public sewers and, for homes built before 2011, shared drains that flow into them. Its "Whose pipe is it?" guide explains the split. If you are unsure, ask the engineer to find the fault before you agree to any work.
A camera survey shows cracks, roots and sags in the pipes. It is worth asking about before you buy an older home, since the pipes are hidden. A 2008 council survey counted 17.9% of private homes in York as built before 1919, so older pipework is not rare. Ask for the footage and a written report.
Keep away from the sewage and wash your hands after any contact. Yorkshire Water says never to try to clear a sewer yourself. Mark your request urgent on the form, so the details are clear. If your neighbours have the same problem, the fault may be in the public sewer, since many homes share it. Tell Yorkshire Water too.
Since 2011, many shared drains belong to the water company. Defra's guidance says sewers and lateral drains linked to a public sewer on 1 July 2011 became the water company's job on 1 October 2011. Drains that serve only one home, inside its boundary, stayed private. Check the Yorkshire Water "Whose pipe is it?" guide before you pay for work.
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.