Areas not connected to the main sewerage system may qualify for mains connection under Section 101A of the Water Industry Act 1991.

If you’ve got a cesspool or a septic tank which is causing you and your local environment a problem, you can find out if you can have a public sewerage system.

Take a look at our First Time Sewerage Information leaflet

Do you qualify?  

The application must be for 2 or more existing properties with a domestic element of drainage

The properties are not already connected either directly or indirectly to the public sewerage system

There is an environmental or amenity problem associated with the absence of public sewerage which is sufficiently serious to justify the provision of public sewerage

The environmental or amenity problem cannot be more appropriately alleviated by improved operation or maintenance of the existing drainage systems, including the removal of any surface water run-off from the properties discharging to the private treatment facilities* 
 

* Septic tank systems and Sewage Treatment Plants cannot accept any rainwater, either from downpipes or surface drains. This is because the septic tank should be sized to deal with the volume of effluent produced by a specific population.  This sizing ensures that the sewage remains in the septic tank long enough for full settlement to occur.  If rainwater enters the tank, then the flow rate through the septic tank increases and adequate settlement does not occur.  The resulting effluent would then contain so many suspended solids that it would very quickly compromise the soakaway

If you’re building a new property or you require a connection for a single property, you’ll need to make a sewer connection application.