Problems with drainage can be a major headache for residents of large towns or cities like London. Finding a reliable drain cleaning company in London can be a difficult task when you need one quickly.

Some of the things that drain maintenance companies in London can do for you include:

Drain blockage removal

During this process the drainage expert directs a jet of water into the drainage pipe to break up any clogged deposits. This is one of the best ways to get rid of problems and can be done really quickly.

Root removal

Sometimes blockages in a sewer pipe cannot be removed by jetting alone. One common reason for a drain blockage in a sewer is an accumulation of roots in the drainage pipe. These roots can only be removed by drain maintenance experts who have special root cutting equipment. The root cutter is inserted into the pipe and the roots trimmed back.

CCTV drainage surveys London

If a solution to your drain blockage cannot be found quickly, the drain maintenance experts may decide to do a CCTV survey. Using sophisticated equipment, a camera is inserted into the drain and pictures are relayed to a computer screen. Drainage issues can be solved easily if the drainage contractors know what is causing the blockage.

A road in Buckingham has had to be closed to traffic after a section collapsed, leaving a large hole in the road.

Market Hill was closed near the Old Gaol on Monday after the sewer underneath the road collapsed. Upon investigation by the local water company, it was found that the most likely cause of the collapse was a gas main that had been resting on the surface of the sewer pipe, and over time the weight had caused cracks in the pipe to appear and hence the eventual collapse of the pipe.

Work on the sewer was undertaken quickly, with drain maintenance teams reinforcing the section that had collapsed, however the road is expected to be closed to traffic until Friday.

A spokesperson for Anglian Water who is carrying out the repairs stated:

“We are sorry for any inconvenience but had to act quickly in order to prevent sewer flooding and any further damage.

“It was also important to close the road to ensure the safety of our workforce and to speed up repairs.

“These have now been completed and we currently reinstating the road, which will re-open by Friday.”

Works are currently ongoing to replace a large section of public sewer underneath a country path in East Sussex.

The works, which began in November, have seen delays due to the heavy snow that fell at the end of last year and unfortunate emergency repair work that had to be carried out on a rising main. Over 700 metres of drainage pipe has already been replaced, and Southern Water hopes the job will be complete before Easter.

The country path in Polegate, which is popularly known in the area as the cuckoo trail, was closed to the public in November when the works started. The drainage pipe had been prone to leaks due to its age and had to be replaced due to the likelihood that further leaks would occur.

Southern Water’s project manager on the drain replacement project, Keith Jeffery, stated:

“The replacement of these 1,500 metres of sewer along the Cuckoo Trail is just an initial phase of a multi-million scheme to replace the entire 5.2km length of sewer at this location. This work is currently in the design stage, and Southern Water will be updating the public on the progress of the project”.

A local drain maintenance contractor is carrying out the works for Southern Water.

Southern Water is investing £4 million on the refurbishment of a sewage treatment works in Hampshire.

Over the next year, the water company will fully refurbish Ludgershall wastewater treatment works on the border of Hampshire and Wiltshire. The improvement works need to be done to make sure that the existing sewage treatment works conform to the new standards set by the Environment Agency.

The plant will see new equipment installed, including complete new treatment units and a new pumping station. Other components on the site will be refurbished.

The treatment works at Ludgershall serve just under 5,000 local residents and process over 2.5 million litres of waste water every day. The works are expected to be completed sometime in late 2012.

Southern Water contracts engineer, Dennis Taplin, stated:

“We’re delighted to be starting this important scheme, which will improve the quality of wastewater being recycled into the environment.

“I’d like to thank customers for their patience while we carry out this scheme. Our priority is to complete the scheme with as little disruption to the community as possible.”

There are quite a few reasons why you may have a blocked drain. In this article we will discuss some of the most common reasons and tell you how to stop the problem happening again.

Watch what you flush

The waste water drain that leaves your home has to be in a good state of repair, otherwise you might start to suffer drain blockages. Drain blockages are usually caused by the homeowner flushing items down the toilet that should simply not be flushed. Items such as face wipes, nappies, condoms and sanitary wear can all cause drain blockages and should be disposed of in the bin.

Scrape food scraps into the bin

Other things that can cause drain blockages include scraping food scraps and pouring waste cooking oils and fats down the sink. Waste oil and fat will solidify in your drain and reduce its diameter. If scraps of food accumulate in the drain, they will cause a blockage over time.

Descale before you have a blockage

If you live in a hard water area, scale can be a big problem. Scale builds up on the internal walls of your drain and reduces the drain’s diameter.

The only way you can be sure your drain is in a good state of repair and stop blockages before they occur is to have a CCTV survey of your drainage system. Drain maintenance engineers can then look at the internal walls of the pipe and suggest a remedy to solve any problems they find.