Answer: Sewers are designated "public" when they are operated and maintained by the appropriate sewerage undertaker. Private sewers are the responsibility of the property owner. Following the transfer of private sewers and lateral drains on 1st October 2011 the majority of private sewers serving more than one property and lateral drains that extend beyond the boundary of a property are now the responsibility of the Statutory Sewerage Undertaker for your area. Therefore the only drains that the property owner should be responsible for are the drains within their boundary that only serve their property. However, owners were given the opportunity to opt out of the scheme and therefore there may be some sewers and lateral drains that remain private. Private sewers are those that have either never been offered to a Sewerage Undertaker for adoption, or have never been subject to mandatory transfer.