What is the surface water drainage rebate?
What is the surface water drainage rebate?
What is Surface Water?
Surface water is rainwater that falls onto a property or water that drains to the public sewer from such activities as car washing.
What is the Surface Water Drainage Charge for?
The Surface Water Drainage Charge covers the costs of taking away and treating surface water that runs from properties into a sewerage company's drains. This includes water that flows through gutters or which simply runs into the road and ends up in a company owned sewer.
Do I have to pay the Surface Water Drainage Charge?
If any surface water from your property enters into a public sewer then you will have to pay the charge.
If surface water does not enter a public sewer then you may qualify for a reduction in your charge. You should make an application to the company concerned. They will check that you qualify and remove the charge from future bills. They will also deduct the charge for the year you apply.
To avoid paying the charges you must ensure that no surface water enters the public sewer. To do this you would need to consider building soakaways and other ways of ensuring that no garden water returns to the public sewer. Your sewerage company may be able to offer advice.
Non-household properties
Companies apply different methods of charging. Most use the rateable value of your business premises although some now charge by the site area of the premises.
Why can't the Surface Water Drainage rebate be backdated?
Charges Scheme approval
The law requires sewerage companies to offer rebates for surface water drainage where customers' properties do not drain to the public sewer.
There is no legal obligation for companies to backdate any rebate of charges beyond the current charging year. The Water Industry Act of 1991 (and case law establishes) does not prevent companies from charging for surface water drainage even where the service is not received.
This change is designed not to affect a company's finances. For every customer who does not pay the charge all others have to pay slightly more. If the rebate were backdated then there would need to be a corresponding backdated increase in other bills. The administration of such a system would be complex and expensive and so not in customers' interests.
Why do I need to apply for a rebate?
At the time of privatisation in 1989, water and sewerage companies were sold with poorly kept records of the water and sewerage infrastructures. The records did not show which properties are connected and which are not for surface water drainage purposes. It is therefore up to customers to let the companies know by making an application for the rebate.