Rules for Soakaways

[Spinny]

What exactly determines whether you can put rainwater from an extension into the sewer ?

A person has a 50sqm main roof which discharges to the sewer. They also have a 16sqm extension which discharges to the sewer. Can they build another 15sqm extension and discharge to the sewer ? What are the rules ?

[Temp]

Building Control decides if you should connect....

 

Approved Document Part H sets a hierarchy in requirement H3 and H4...

   1. Discharge rainwater to the ground via a soakaway or infiltration system (preferred).

   2. If that’s not possible, discharge to a watercourse.

   3. Only if neither is feasible, discharge to a sewer (surface water first, and combined only as a last resort).

So you may have to show Building Control that soakaways arent possible or don't work on the site if you want to connect

 

The Water Company decides if you may connect, eg have a legal right of connection.

 

Edit: I checked Southern Water as I know they have combined sewers and their Web site says.. "We have no legal powers to prevent new connections from being made to existing combined sewers." although that's not quite what you asked...

 

See the FAQ "What is a combined sewer"

https://www.southernwater.co.uk/faqs/

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4 by Temp

[Spinny]

And who regulates building control to prevent 'a nods as good as a wink to an old mate' ?

 

And the Water Company won't know anything about it, because you push the rainwater into your drain, off it goes to the sewer - taps side of nose.

[Kelvin]

Anyone can break any rule/law/guideline they like. It’s not possible for every single thing to be checked so it comes down to people doing the right things in the right way. 
 

There’s an ongoing issue in our local town where the sewer keeps overflowing in heavy rain because of exactly this issue. It creates a stinking mess for the folk that live there. Recently Scottish Water has had to station a large tanker on the road to pump the excess flow of water out of the sewer when heavy rain hits as forecast. 

[saveasteading]

We all should try for best practice. 

The flooding we get isn't always caused by new housing but often is.

Every rain drop adds to the risk, and mixing it with sewage is a lot worse.

 

The simplest solution is to use a water butt. Of course use it for the garden and car washing. 

 Preferably overflowing to a soakway, but at least delaying the flow.

 

In extremis  the tap could be left slightly open and it will drain slowly before the next downpour.

 

If every new house had to have a barrel, the effect would be huge, and the cost tiny.