Drainage Design to satisfy Building Regulations
Foul and surface water drainage
We have capability in the design of below ground foul and surface water private drainage systems to satisfy Building Regulations. This covers residential, commercial and industrial sites and can include the drainage of houses, flats, schools and other buildings together with the associated access roads, hard standings, car parks etc. The use of SUDS techniques for the disposal of surface water flows is likely to be an important element of the work.
Approved
Document H
The design work would be carried out to satisfy the requirements of 'Approved Document H' together with BS EN 752, BS EN 12056-2 or 'The SUDS Manual', C753, 2015 as appropriate. We can also design drainage to be adopted by the relevant water company where appropriate.
Transfer of Private Sewers
It should be noted that from 1 October 2011 the responsibility for most existing private sewers (that is a 'drain' serving two or more properties) which connect to a public sewer was transferred to the relevant water company. It was originally proposed that all sewers subsequently constructed would be adopted by the water companies and would need to be designed and constructed to the standards set out in 'Sewers for Adoption'. This mandatory adoption has been implementation in Wales but is still pending in England.
The mandatory adoption of sewers means that in Wales, only drains within the curtilage of a property fall within the remit of Building Regulations. An adoption agreement with the relevant water company has to be in place for most new sewers and lateral drains before construction of the development can commence. Since the situation within England has not yet changed, new private sewers can still be designed and constructed to the requirements of the Building Regulations.
Implementation in Wales of Schedule 3 of F&WMA, 2010
Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act, 2010 has been implemented in Wales. This means that the surface water drainage for a new development of more than one property has to be approved by the SUDS Approving Body (SAB) before planning permission can be granted. The surface water drainage for a small single property would still be designed in accordance with the Building Regulations. Please see our SUDS page for the more details.
Design of SUDS in England
In England the use of SUDS for developments of ten or more properties is applied by way of the planning system but the Building Regulations still apply for smaller developments.
Further information
Please contact us for further information including a free no obligation quotation.
Photograph: Recently constructed houses, Herefordshire.
