- A drain is a pipe serving one property. The owner of the property is responsible for maintaining the drains
- A sewer is a pipe serving more than one property. In Wigan, United Utilities are responsible for the maintenance of all sewers, with a few exceptions
- A culvert is a tunnel or pipe that allows a watercourse to flow under a road, railway or similar feature. The owner of the land the culvert is situated on is responsible for the maintenance of it.
Visit United Utilities (external link) to find out who is responsible for maintaining different sections of the drain and sewer networks.
How do I view the sewer and water records?
We have an agreement with United Utilities that residents can view the public sewer and clean water records at Wigan Life Centre South, free of charge and by appointment only.
Please be aware that we cannot issue the plans to the resident as United Utilities charge for this service, however residents can take a photograph, trace or copy the plan.
We hold no records of private drainage serving individual properties.
Report an issue with public and shared sewers
If you have a problem, including blockages and associated flooding that you believe would be the responsibility of United Utilities, please contact them directly on 0345 6723 723.
If you believe that United Utilities are not properly addressing a problem you can complain to the Consumer Council for Water (external link) but you must give United Utilities the opportunity to resolve the problem first.
Report a blocked rainwater grid or gully
We will attend to any reports of blocked grids or gullies causing flooding on the road to investigate the problem and take action – see report flooding on the road.
You can report blocked drainage grids or gullies as a Wigan Borough resident through MyAccount or as a non-resident.
Drains and private sewers
Privately owned properties
If you have a problem with your drains, you can either choose to fix the problem yourself or contact a private contractor. You can find details for contractors in local business directories.
If repair work is needed it is worth checking with your buildings insurance provider first as you may be covered. Several companies also offer insurance that specifically covers drain blockages and defects.
Rented properties
We generally expect landlords to unblock and make repairs to private drains as necessary.
Please report problems to your landlord or letting agency in the first instance. If they do not resolve the problem for you then you can contact us and we will work with your landlord to ensure the necessary work is undertaken.
If you are a Wigan Council tenant, you can report the problem online.
Problems with drains on neighbouring properties
If a neighbour is not fixing a problem with their drains and this is causing you problems, for example flooding or smells, please contact us or and we will visit to assess the problem.
Report other drainage issues
To report non-emergency issues relating to drainage, flooding (other than highway flooding), watercourses, culverts and the land drainage network, you can: