You are responsible for all pipework in your property and for the pipe between your property and the boundary of the highway. If you share any part of your pipe with your neighbour, you are jointly responsible with your neighbour for that section of pipe.

At Essential Water Services Ltd, we offer a service to identify, locate and trace all underground services and cables.

This is done with the use of the latest technology such as CAT (Cable Avoidance Tool), Genny and Flexi-trace equipment.

These are used in the survey of properties and can detect all types of cables and metallic/plastic pipe work in the ground. All water companies should have details of all pipe work (including Boundary Stopcock locations) that is laid in the boundary of the highway and is their responsibility to maintain.

Unless drawings are requested when properties are built or altered there is unlikely to be a record of any pipe work on private property.

This service can provide exact details of unknown pipe locations and full surveys will detail locations of other services and cables.

This is always important to know when developing a site, making alterations to an existing structure or site, if there is an underground leak, or if there is a dispute with a neighbour over responsibility of a shared supply pipe.