Sewer Connections Knowledge Hub

You should apply as early in your project planning as possible, ideally before starting groundworks. You must secure formal statutory approval under Section 106 of the Water Industry Act 1991 from your regional water authority before any physical connection can be made to the public sewer network.

A private drain serves only your property and remains the property owner's responsibility. A public sewer is owned, maintained, and insured by the regional water authority (e.g. Severn Trent, Thames Water, United Utilities). Making a connection from a private drain into the public sewer requires formal consent and compliance with national technical standards.

You submit a Section 106 application to your local water authority accompanied by site location plans, detailed drainage design calculations, and the statutory fee. We manage the entire application and approval process on your behalf to guarantee swift, compliant approval without bureaucratic delays.

Depending on the route of the connection, you will need: Section 106 approval from the water company, a Section 50 Street Works Licence from the local highways authority if working in a public road/pavement, building control approval, and legal easements/consent if crossing third-party private land.

Costs generally comprise water authority application and inspection fees, council highway opening licences (Section 50) and traffic management where applicable, physical excavation, pipe installation, connection, and reinstatement. We provide transparent, fully itemised fixed quotes with zero hidden extras.

Statutory water company approval typically takes 15 to 21 working days. If road opening licences (Section 50) are required, councils typically require 4 to 8 weeks advance notice. The physical groundwork and connection usually takes 1 to 5 working days depending on ground conditions and depth.

Following installation, the water undertaker or an accredited inspector performs an on-site or CCTV inspection. Upon successful sign-off, a formal completion certificate is issued, confirming your drainage is fully approved, compliant, and connected.

The property owner is responsible for maintaining the private drains inside their boundary. Once the pipe reaches the adopted public sewer or lateral drain boundary, ongoing maintenance is the statutory responsibility of the regional sewerage undertaker.

Works in the public highway require fully qualified NRSWA-accredited operatives, an approved Section 50 licence from the local authority, certified traffic management, and compliant highway reinstatement. Our team handles all highway licensing and execution safely and legally.

All work must meet strict national standards (Sewers for Adoption / Design and Construction Guidance). As experienced specialist contractors, our 100% compliance guarantee ensures every installation passes inspection first time without costly rectifications or delays.

Yes. If your property currently uses a septic tank, cesspit, or package treatment plant, we can survey the route to the nearest public sewer, assess falls and invert levels, and design either a gravity connection or a pumped system to connect your property to mains drainage.