Report a problem with a drain or gully

Responsibility for sewers and drains is shared between property owners, Yorkshire Water, Highways England and Barnsley Council.

Property owners (drains on your property)

You're responsible for the repair and maintenance of the drains inside the boundary of your property, up to the point they connect with the public sewer.

Although we're not responsible for repairing drains on your property, we do have a statutory duty to make sure that you keep them clear and in good repair. If you don't, we can issue a notice asking you to make the repairs within a set timescale; we may charge you an administration cost for doing this. If you don't comply with the notice, we’ll make the repairs and invoice you for the cost of any works we’ve done. 

Yorkshire Water (public sewers)

They're responsible for maintaining the network of foul and surface water public sewers, which collect water and waste from the drains of properties. Public sewers are usually in roads or public open spaces, but some may run through private gardens; Yorkshire Water has a right of access to these sewers for maintenance.

Contact Yorkshire Water on 0345 1242424.

Highways England (trunk road and motorway drains)

Highways England are responsible for drains on trunk roads and motorways.

Contact Highways England on 0300 123 5000.

Barnsley Council (drains and gullies on our roads)

We're responsible for keeping the drains and gullies alongside Barnsley's roads clean and free from obstruction, to prevent flooding. These drains/gullies take storm water from the road into the sewer system.

How to report a problem with a drain or gully

You can report a blocked street drain or gully, or a missing/loose grate, using our online form.

You can check if the problem's already been reported, and the status of existing reports, on the map below.

Reported flooding and drainage issues map

View full-screen map

If the problem you're reporting isn't on the map, please tell us about it using our online form.

If the blocked drain's causing flooding involving deep/fast flowing water and damage to roads, bridges or structures email our Highways team at highwaydrainage@barnsley.gov.uk or call our 24 hour emergency helpline on 01226 773555.

You can use our form to report a problem with a drain or gully alongside Barnsley's roads, apart from:

  • those on trunk roads, such as the:
    • A61 (from M1 J36 to the A616 roundabout)
    • A616 (from M1 J35A to the A628 Flouch roundabout)
    • A628 (from Flouch roundabout to the borough boundary at Saltersbrook Bridge)

      Contact Highways England on 0300 123 5000 to report a drain or gully problem on these roads.
  • overflowing public sewers - contact Yorkshire Water on 0345 1242424

You'll need to show us on a map where the blockage is by clicking to drop a pin. You'll also need to tell us as much detail as you can about the blockage. You can upload a photo of the blocked drain as well, if you have one.

You can make your report anonymously, but if you'd like a receipt and reference number you need to tell us your email address.

Report a problem with a drain or gully

Reports won't be picked up outside office hours or over bank holidays.  If there is a missing gully or manhole cover during these times please call 01226 773555.

After you've made your report

After you've submitted the form the drainage problem you’ve reported will appear as a pin on the map. You might need to wait a couple of minutes and refresh your screen to be able to see the status of your report.

The pin will stay on the map for at least 28 days, during which time you can come back to the webpage to check the status of your report.

Once the pin drops off the map you won't be able make further enquiries about your report, unless you have your reference number.

What we'll do

We'll investigate the problem as soon as we can, but we'll prioritise problems that could potentially be environmental or public health hazards.

If we can't find a blocked drain/gully or a missing/loose grate when we visit the site you've reported to us, and we don't have details to contact you for more information, we'll close the report.