Water Surface Drainage Rebate

What the charge is

Surface water drainage is the rainwater that runs off the roof and other hard surfaces of your property. In a typical urban home, the gutters lead to a downpipe, the downpipe leads to a drain at ground level, and the drain runs under the garden into the public surface-water sewer. The water company maintains the sewer and bills you for the service.

The legal basis is section 144 of the Water Industry Act 1991, which lets a water company charge for sewerage services it provides. Each water company sets its own charge, in their annual scheme of charges. The charge appears on your bill as a line item, often called "Surface Water Drainage", "SWD", or similar.

Who can claim a rebate

Your home qualifies for a rebate if rainwater from the roof and driveway does not reach the public surface-water sewer. The most common qualifying setups:

• Soakaway. Downpipes run into a buried gravel-filled pit and the water seeps into the ground. Common in rural homes, semi-detached houses with deep gardens, and older Victorian terraces with private yards.
• Private watercourse. Drainage runs into a stream, ditch, or pond on your land or your neighbour's.
• Soak hole or French drain. Variations on soakaways using gravel or perforated pipe to absorb water locally.
• Combined sewer with no surface-water sewer in your area. Rare. Some areas have only a foul sewer, and rainwater drains separately.

How to check where your rainwater goes

Three quick checks:

1. Walk around the outside. Trace the downpipes. Where does each one end? A pipe that runs across the garden into a manhole connects to the sewer. A pipe that stops at ground level near the wall is a soakaway.
2. Look at the deeds or property survey. If you have a drainage diagram from when you bought the property, it usually shows whether surface water connects to the public sewer.
3. Ask the water company. They have records of public sewer connections; they will confirm whether your property is on file as connected.

How much you can get back

The annual saving depends on your water company. Indicative 2025-26 charges:

• Thames Water: ~£36 a year
• Severn Trent: ~£44 a year
• Anglian Water: ~£50 a year
• Yorkshire Water: ~£40 a year
• Wessex Water: ~£60 a year
• Welsh Water (DCWW): ~£36 a year
• Scottish Water: separate scheme; typically built into council tax

With a six-year backdate, a typical rebate is £200 to £500. Larger properties on metered accounts where the SWD is a proportion of the bill can land higher.

How to claim it yourself

Each water company runs its own form. The path is:

1. Find the relevant page on your water company's site. Search "<company name> surface water drainage rebate". Every major company publishes one.
2. Complete the form. You will typically be asked to confirm: your account number, the property address, the type of drainage (soakaway, watercourse, etc.), and to upload one or two photos showing where the downpipes end.
3. Submit. The company may visit (or send a contractor) to confirm. Some accept photo evidence alone.
4. If accepted, the SWD line is removed from your future bills and a credit (or refund) for backdated years is applied.

If the company refuses without giving a clear reason, escalate to the Consumer Council for Water. CCW is the statutory consumer body for water in England and Wales and arbitrates disputes for free.

The traps people fall into

• Assuming "I have a drain in the garden" means public sewer. A drain at ground level might be a soakaway with a grille over it, not a sewer connection. Trace it.
• Mixing up surface water and foul drainage. Even if your property uses the public sewer for foul drainage (toilet, sink, bath), the surface water can drain separately. The two are billed separately.
• Paying for a survey before asking. Most companies accept photo evidence and a statement. A formal drainage survey (£200 to £400) is overkill for a £40-a-year rebate.
• Not chasing the backdate. Companies sometimes only stop the future charge and miss the backdate. Ask explicitly for the six-year refund.

How Untap helps

Talk to Nell, our voice agent. She asks the qualifying questions about where your rainwater goes, points you at your water company's specific form, and gives you a checklist of the photos and details to include. We do not file on your behalf and we do not engage with the water company for you.

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