DIYbanter - View Single Post - Water rates

Anna Kettle[_3_]

On Tue, 8 Dec 2009 23:37:49 +0000 (UTC),
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

In article ,
David J writes:
My water rates invoice shows an (admittedly small) additional charge
for what is called 'surface water drainage' which is included in the
sewerage charge as 'foul & surface'.

Enquiries revealed that this was a charge for rain water running from
my drive onto the road. They admitted that they have no idea whether
it does, or not. In effect everybody is charged unless they can
successfully challenge the charge, in which case one of their
surveyors will have been to the property to establish the facts. I
reckon that my drive is level, with just a slope on the public
pavement onto the road level.

Question is: How can it be determined (unless it is raining) if a
level drive passes rain water onto the road? On both sides of my drive
are lawns, and surface water will also drain onto that. As the drive
is brickweave some of the rain will soak though the gaps. Many of my
neighbour's drives actually slope away from the road.

Isn't this just a big con by the Water Companies?

I successfully challenged my charge and so did my mum. Their criterion
was something like the water must discharge to a soakaway at least 5m
from the road. A sketch map showing distances and loation of soakaway
was enough to convince them

Anna