Drain unblocking in South and West Wales
Blocked toilets, sinks, baths, outside gullies and underground drains cleared at homes, rented property and business premises.
Signs of a blocked drain
A single slow sink is usually a blocked trap or waste pipe. When several fittings are slow at once, or water comes up outside, the blockage is more likely in the underground drain.
- Water rising in the toiletThe bowl fills higher than normal when flushed and drains slowly.
- Gurgling from plugholesAir pushed back up the pipe when another fitting drains.
- A smell from the yard gullyStanding water in the gully or round the grid.
- A manhole overflowingWater or waste lifting from the cover after rain or a flush.
How the blockage is cleared
The method depends on where the blockage is. We start at the nearest access point and work along the pipe.
Inside fittings
Toilets, sinks, basins and baths cleared with plungers and hand augers. Traps are taken apart and cleaned where needed.
Outside gullies
Leaves, silt and fat lifted out of the gully pot by hand, then the pipe beyond it rodded or jetted through.
Underground drains
The manhole is lifted and emptied, and the blocked length is rodded or jetted through to the next chamber.
Whose drain is it?
Pipes that serve only your property, inside your boundary, are usually your responsibility. Pipes shared with neighbours, and pipes outside your boundary, are usually the responsibility of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.
If your neighbours' drains are blocked too, contact Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water first. If the blockage turns out to be in a shared sewer, we tell you before doing any work on it.
What we need to know
- What is blocked. Which fittings are slow or overflowing, and since when.
- Photos. The gully or manhole, with the cover lifted if it is safe to do so.
- Neighbours. Whether the houses either side have the same problem.
- Premises. For cafés and shops, whether the kitchen is in use and when we can get in.
Questions about blocked drains
Do you come out in the evening or at weekends?
Yes. We work seven days a week and attend blocked drains in the evening and at weekends. Say on the form that the drain is urgent.
Will you need to dig?
Most blockages are cleared from a manhole or gully. Digging is needed when a pipe has broken or collapsed, and a CCTV survey shows whether it has.
My drain keeps blocking. What should I do?
Repeat blockages usually have a cause in the pipe, such as roots, a displaced joint or a build-up of grease. A camera survey after clearing finds it.
Other drain services
Report a blocked drain
Tell us what is blocked and where. A photo of the gully or manhole helps us bring the right equipment.