New Foul Water Sewer Connection

[Rosslyn]

Thames Water point you towards their approved contractor for new spur connection I need (in bridleway). But there also looks to be an option to have another contractor carry out the work subject to their approval and inspection. A nearby property spent £14k for 5m connection so hoping to avoid!

 

https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/home-improvements/how-to-connect-to-a-sewer

 

Has anyone gone through this process successfully?

[Kelvin]

No but £14,000 for a 5m section of pipe and connection. Sheesh! If that’s typical and you have the room then a treatment plant and drainage field (or somewhere else you’re allowed to drain to) must be surely tempting. No wastewater charge either. Our treatment plant and drainage field cost just under £5k installed. 

[Rosslyn]

A septic tank would be tempting as that is what's there now. I'm on one at my present house and the problem is that the water table gets very high over a wet winter and I think would be problematic.

[crooksey]

Get a pumped outlet, have a very shallow drainage field, it will be fine (as long as the water table is not stupidly high). Or if there is a ditch on/bordering the property, discharge to this.

 

Septic tanks are known for not being horrendous in high water table areas and rely on gravity, so the drainage fields are often set far to low.

 

[Temp]

On 13/08/2025 at 08:31, Rosslyn said:

Thames Water point you towards their approved contractor for new spur connection I need (in bridleway). But there also looks to be an option to have another contractor carry out the work subject to their approval and inspection. A nearby property spent £14k for 5m connection so hoping to avoid!

 

https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/home-improvements/how-to-connect-to-a-sewer

 

Has anyone gone through this process successfully?

 

Lot depends on the land it has to cross. Is the connection in a country road or A road etc

[Rosslyn]

18 hours ago, Temp said:

 

Lot depends on the land it has to cross. Is the connection in a country road or A road etc

It's just a bridleway with residents vehicle access (3 houses!)

[Rosslyn]

21 hours ago, crooksey said:

Get a pumped outlet, have a very shallow drainage field, it will be fine (as long as the water table is not stupidly high). Or if there is a ditch on/bordering the property, discharge to this.

 

Septic tanks are known for not being horrendous in high water table areas and rely on gravity, so the drainage fields are often set far to low.

 

Yes it does get too high some Winters. Drainage into any ditch is a no no and can't even do so for rainwater. The peercolation test already excludes regular soakaway and suggested use of Swales.