Wolverhampton is a city of about 264,000 people (ONS, Census 2021). We take plumbing and drain requests from every part of it, from Penn and Finchfield to Bushbury and Heath Town. You send your request online, and we pass it to a local engineer who covers your area. Because the form stays open 24/7, you can send it the moment a problem starts.
Wolverhampton grew fast in the Victorian years, when its factories needed workers close by. As a result, Whitmore Reans, Blakenhall and the streets around the centre are full of terraced homes. Many still drain through clay pipes laid well over 100 years ago. Those terraces often share a drain run at the back, so one blockage can reach several homes.
Further out, the picture changes. Penn and Finchfield have many 1930s semis with longer gardens and mature trees. Bushbury, Low Hill and Heath Town have big council estates from the middle of the century. Their drains are younger, yet many are now more than 50 years old.
Severn Trent runs the public sewers in the city, including shared lateral drains. However, drains that only serve your home are yours to look after. Smestow Brook runs through the west of the city, and some low-lying streets near it can flood in very heavy rain. If a public sewer overflows, report it to Severn Trent as well as asking for help.
If you live in an older Wolverhampton terrace, find your stop tap and your outside manhole covers now. In an emergency, both save precious minutes. Because many terraces share a rear drain, it also helps to know which neighbours are on your run. That way, you can spot a shared blockage early and report it to Severn Trent.
Many Victorian terraces in the city still have their original clay drains. Those pipes were not built for modern bathrooms, dishwashers and washing machines. Their joints also loosen with age, which lets roots in and waste catch.
Since October 2011, most shared lateral drains in England belong to the water company. In Wolverhampton, that is Severn Trent. However, the drain within your boundary that only serves your home is still yours.
Road gullies in the street belong to the council, not to you. City of Wolverhampton Council cleans them and takes reports through its Love Clean Streets app. For drains on your own property, send us a request instead.
Yes, we take requests from across the city, including Tettenhall and Wednesfield. We also cover nearby towns such as Bilston, Willenhall and Codsall. If you are not sure, send your postcode and we will confirm.