Our Services - Drainage

Rural drainage systems

Given the rural nature of East Sussex, much of our drainage system relies upon ditches alongside the roads, which our drainage gullies feed into. Many of our ditches and pipes feed into ditches owned and maintained by local landowners, the County Council has a right to discharge highway surface water into them. Our team liaises directly with local land owners to ensure that ditches are correctly maintained.

Did you know we are also responsible for 505km of highway ditches across the county, and we have a cyclical programme of clearing and refurbishing them.

ESCC's Highways Policies

You can access the Highways Inspection Manual, the Investigatory Matrix and more information about the Council's policies and strategies for the highways service on their website

Highways Policies, Strategies and Plans

Are you aware of a problem?

If you think the problem is an emergency please call us on 0345 60 80 193. If it is not an emergency you can report it easily on-line here.

Report a problem online

ESH Guide to Highways

The link below will open a PDF of our Guide to Highways

Guide to Highways (PDF)