How to find out water pipe sewage routes

[ElCI]

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice. I want to find out the exact route of the water mains and drains for my home. I live in a terraced home and know I have a shared mains supply with my neighbours.
I'm having some problems with the drains in particular and want to know the route.
I live in Scotland (Scottish water region) can anybody give me advice on how I go about finding this information? Is it the local authority, the water board or someone else again that I need to contact? Also is there a charge for this?
Thanks in advance for any help

 

[^woody^]

Contact your water authority. They have any maps that are available, but whether they have ones for your property or whether they are accurate, you never know. There is normally a fee.

 

[noseall]

Unfortunately there is no magic way of establishing drain runs unless you can acquire an up to date accurate survey or drawing.

Common sense and the shortest straightest route are normally the obvious tell tale sights though this is no guarantee against the idiosyncrasies of domestic drains layout.

However, the water main would often run in the same trench as the sewer when this became available.
I'd be more inclined to use my own detective skills first and foremost. The problem with water authority drains layout drawings is they can be ambiguous and misleading and not altogether accurate. You may get lucky so worth a pop I guess.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The mains is pretty tricky as mentioned, (usually) ancient drawings from the water board may or may not be accurate.

The drains are easier, generally speaking. Finding the manholes, lifting covers and seeing what direction pipes enter/exit, seeing where your soil/drain pipes and gulleys etc enter the ground can give a good indication. Chat with the neighbours to see what manholes they have and if they know more is sometimes necessary. Again the record drawings might be accurate or a pile of doodar.

Or alternatively you can get it all surveyed, prolly about £2-300.

BTW note that only private drains and the mains from the boundary to your house are your responsibility http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/you-and-your-home/your-home/pipework-responsibility

 

[ElCI]

Hi all, for some reason I didn't get alerts for the replies so I have only just seen them. Thanks for your posts. I stay in cumbernauld, anyone who knows this area will tell you that common sense was not in abundance when this place was designed so it is practically impossible to guess how the mains run. I contacted Scottish water and they are sending someone out next week to help me hopefully he will be able to give me some advice