CCTV Survey in Lerwick
Lerwick's housing stock is younger than mainland Scottish towns—many built post-1980—but its soft Scottish Water supply creates a unique drainage problem: acidic pH accelerates copper fitting corrosion and lead-joint failure. CCTV surveys are essential in Lerwick for two reasons: pre-purchase assessment of the town's Victorian and Edwardian terraces, and diagnostic investigation of slow drains caused by internal copper corrosion rather than blockage. Modern drain surveys in Lerwick reveal hidden pipe deterioration invisible to eye inspection.
CCTV drain surveys in Lerwick reveal corrosion in copper pipes (caused by Scottish Water's acidic soft supply), root ingress into older clay drains, and misconnections between foul and surface water systems. Pre-purchase surveys are common in Lerwick's Victorian and Edwardian housing stock. Shetland Islands Council requires surveys before major repairs or property transactions.
Drainage in Lerwick — what local engineers know
Shetland Islands Council licenses all drainage work in Lerwick, requiring certified surveys before major repairs or property transactions. Scottish Water's supply to Lerwick has a pH of 6.0–6.5, classifying it as soft but slightly acidic. This chemistry accelerates corrosion of copper and lead pipework common in Lerwick's older properties across ZE1 and ZE2 postcodes. The town's separate sewer system (foul and surface water) means misconnections are also a Lerwick compliance issue, with blockages often caused by cross-drained surface water entering foul laterals. CCTV surveys in Lerwick catch these misroutes before they become enforcement actions.
- Soft water supply reduces limescale, but slightly acidic pH can accelerate corrosion of copper fittings and lead joints in older Lerwick properties
- Separate sewer system across most of Lerwick: misconnections (e.g. washing machines plumbed into surface water drains) are a known local issue and can result in environmental enforcement action
- Moderate flood risk in parts of Lerwick — drainage systems near low-lying areas can surcharge after prolonged rain, and sump pump maintenance is advisable
- Freeze-thaw cycles in Lerwick regularly crack exposed copper pipework, outdoor taps, and uninsulated sections in unheated outbuildings
What happens when you contact us in Lerwick
- 1 Immediate dispatch. We find the nearest available engineer covering ZE1/ZE2 and confirm the ETA before the call ends.
- 2 On-site diagnosis — no guessing. The engineer inspects using our high-definition camera system and quotes a fixed price before work starts.
- 3 Job complete, report issued. You receive a written completion report. All work is guaranteed — same fault returns within the guarantee period, we come back free.
Who's responsible for drains in Lerwick?
In Lerwick, responsibility for a blocked or damaged drain depends on where the fault sits. As a homeowner you are responsible for the drains within your property boundary that serve only your home. Since the 2011 private sewer transfer, Scottish Water is responsible for shared sewers and lateral drains beyond your boundary — even where they run under private land. Road gullies and highway drainage are maintained by Shetland Islands.
This matters because it determines who pays. If our engineer's CCTV inspection shows the fault is in a shared sewer, we'll tell you — and you can report it to Scottish Water rather than paying for the repair yourself. The separate sewer layout that dominates Lerwick affects where these boundaries typically fall, and our local engineers know the ZE1, ZE2, ZE3 networks well enough to identify ownership quickly.
CCTV Survey prices in Lerwick
Every Lerwick job is quoted as a fixed price before work starts — what we quote is what you pay, with no call-out fee for providing the quote. However, the final price depends on access (an external inspection chamber is quicker than internal-only access), the pipe material and condition , and how established the blockage or fault is. Request your free quote and we'll confirm the price and your engineer's ETA in the callback.
In summary, CCTV Survey in Lerwick is backed by a 12-month workmanship guarantee. Furthermore, every job includes a written completion report. Consequently, you have full documentation if the same fault recurs.