Q. Cover levels and/or invert levels for the manholes in which I am interested are not included in the manhole schedule accompanying the sewer record extract. In addition the sewer sizes are not shown on the plan. Can you provide this information?
Q. Am I allowed to build over or close to public sewers?
Q. Must I have permission to connect to the public sewerage system and how can I find out if the sewers have sufficient capacity to service my development?
Q. There is a ditch/stream running through or adjacent to my property that occasionally floods or into which I am proposing to drain my property. To whom should my complaint be directed and who should give approval for my works?
Q. I think that there may be a problem with the public sewer (blockage, damage, smells etc). Whom should I inform?
Cover levels and/or invert levels for the manholes in which I am interested are not included in the manhole schedule accompanying the sewer record extract. In addition the sewer sizes are not shown on the plan. Can you provide this information?
Southern Water is responsible for some 20,000 kilometres of pipework and innumerable manholes. As you will appreciate with such a vast network to maintain some of the details relating to it may be presently unknown. All the information that we have relating to the sewerage system appears on the plan or in the accompanying manhole schedule and we will not be able to provide you with any information that is not contained thereon. Our records only show public apparatus i.e. that for which we have a responsibility. We are unable to provide any information relating to private sewers, individual connections from properties or service pipes.
Am I allowed to build over or close to public sewers?
For public sewers specific protection is provided under statute and consequently there is no right to build over or in close proximity to public a public sewer. A minimum distance of 3m (for apparatus up to 3m deep) must be maintained between any building and the public apparatus. This distance may need to be extended for deep or large diameter pipework. Notwithstanding the above, Southern Water recognizes the desire of home owners to extend there properties and will in some instances, depending on the status of the sewer, allow buildings to encroach upon the public system. Please note however, that building over or in close proximity to water mains will never be permitted; neither will building over or building in close proximity to proposed or existing sewers on new developments or redevelopment’s be permitted. Guidance notes for further information and an application form are available.
Must I have permission to connect to the public sewerage system and how can I find out if the sewers have sufficient capacity to service my development?
A. Under Section 106, 108 and 109 of the Water Industry Act, the owner or occupier of premises or the owner of a private sewer has a limited right to connect his drains or sewer to a public sewer. However, before doing so the owner or occupier must give a minimum of 21 days notice and provide details of the mode and the method of the proposed connection. Surface water may not be connected into foul water sewers, neither is there a right to connect the run-off from highways into the public sewerage system (although we would not unreasonably refuse). The discharge of land drainage into the public sewerage system is never permitted. Further information and an application form on sewer connections and an application form and guidance notes for capacity checks are available.
There is a ditch/stream running through or adjacent to my property that occasionally floods or into which I am proposing to drain my property. To whom should my complaint be directed and who should give approval for my works?
Southern Water does not adopt or maintain streams or ditches. This responsibility resides with the riparian owners (i.e. those through whose land the watercourse passes) and/or the Local Authority Land Drainage Development and/or the Environment Agency, depending on the status of the watercourse. All enquiries of this type should be referred to the local authority and/or the Environment Agency.
I think that there may be a problem with the public sewer (blockage, damage, smells etc). Whom should I inform?
You should contact our Technical enquiries centre on 0845 278 0845 (lines open 8am – 7pm Mon to Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) who will arrange for the problem to be investigated.
