Emergency Drainage

In short: A drainage emergency is sewage or waste water backing up inside a building, a drain flooding next to the house, or a blockage that means you can't use the toilet. Stop using water, keep people away from contaminated water and call. Network Drains takes emergency calls 24 hours and puts them ahead of routine bookings.

Most drainage jobs can wait until a convenient time. Some can't. When waste water is coming back into the house, every flush, shower and washing machine cycle upstairs makes it worse, and sewage brings a real health risk along with the damage.

Here's what to do straight away, while you wait for help.

What to do right now

• Stop using water. Don't flush, run taps, shower or use the washing machine or dishwasher. Tell everyone in the house, and neighbours if you share a drain.
• Keep people and pets away from contaminated water, especially children.
• Turn off electrics in affected rooms if water is near sockets or appliances, and only if it's safe to reach the consumer unit.
• Check the manhole outside. If it's full, tell us when you call; it helps us bring the right equipment.
• Take photos for your insurer before you start cleaning up.

What counts as a drainage emergency

Sewage or grey water coming up through a toilet, shower, bath or floor drain; a drain or manhole overflowing close to the house or into a building; the only toilet in the house unusable; or a strong sewage smell indoors that has come on suddenly. If a business can't trade because of a blocked drain, that counts too. See commercial drainage.

What happens when you call

You speak to the engineer, not a call centre. We ask what's happening and where, give you any advice that will limit the damage straight away, and give you an honest arrival time rather than a vague promise. On site, we find and clear the blockage, usually by jetting or rodding from the nearest manhole, and check that everything drains before we leave.

After the emergency

Once the drain is running, it's worth knowing why it blocked. A CCTV survey shows whether there's a collapsed pipe, root mass or other damage that will cause the same problem again, and the footage and a written report help if you're making an insurance claim.

Who pays in an emergency?

If the blockage is in a shared or public sewer, the water company is responsible for clearing it. When the public sewer is overloaded or blocked, homes at the lowest point can be the first to see sewage coming back up. We'll tell you if that's what we find. Our who pays guide explains the rules.

Questions people ask