Surface water drainage explained

What is surface water drainage?

Part of your bill pays for us to take away all the rainwater that falls onto your home and drains into our sewers – including your roof, your driveway and your path. We then take away all this rainwater and clean it at one of our treatment works before returning it to rivers and the sea.

We call this service ‘surface water drainage’ and it is a fixed charge for the year.

However, if you believe that no surface water from your property drains into our sewers then you can apply for a reduction in your sewerage charges. We’ve explained more below.

Are you eligible for a discount?

To qualify for a discount on your sewerage charges, you will need to prove that the rainwater that falls on your home (including your roof, drive, patio, yard etc.) drains directly into the ground, or a watercourse such as a brook or stream, or a soakaway – without draining into our sewer pipes.

If this applies to you, it’s really easy to apply for a discount. Download our application form for full details.

How much could you save on your bill?

The discount you will receive will depend on whether you have a water meter or your bills are calculated using the rateable value of your home.

For customers with a meter, the discount is around £80 (2024/25 charges).

For RV customers the discount is around 27% of your sewerage charges.

Next steps

Download our application form for full details on how to apply for a surface water discount.