HC Deb 27 November 1996 vol 286 c242W
Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the advantages of changing the rules which make householders responsible for repair of drains up to the junction with the main drain. [6322]

Mr. Clappison

This issue was addressed in a review of water and sewerage law in 1986. The view was taken that, if the responsibility for private drains and sewers was transferred to sewerage undertakers, the cost of maintaining and repairing them could be very high and this could have a significant effect on the charges which have to be met by sewerage undertakers' customers generally. This was not considered to be equitable.