Public Sewer within the boundary of the property

g_raju

Hi,

I am buying my first home and my solictor did a drainage search and this is what reported:

The public sewer map included indicates that there is a public sewer, disposal main or lateral drain within the boundaries of the property.

Now the solictor wants to know if I am okay to proceed.

I am really confused what should I do now. Whether to proceed or pull out. Any suggestions?

Davesnave

Depends if you are planning to extend the property or not. An extension within 3m of a public sewer would necessitate applying to the water authority for a build-over agreement.

If granted, the build-over terms might mean much higher costs for foundations.Impossible to generalise.

Otherwise, having a public sewer within the curtilage might not trouble anyone very much. At our last house we had 3 of them and no problems, but my father only had one which gave regular trouble.....until I fitted a bolt-down lid on the inspection chamber. Then someone else had the problem!

Doozergirl

I'm not sure why they're asking if you want to proceed. Many of us have public sewers on our land, as anything shared is public.

Theonly concern I would have is if it is a major trunk type of sewer AND it ran close to the house as that might preclude extending. The water searches will say what size the sewer is and where.

Davesnave

I think the "how deep?" question also needs to be asked. Ours was only a 150mm pipe, but at just over 2m down, at an awkward angle, it presented a few expensive headaches.


Of course this is jumping the gun somewhat, as I don't know if the OP has extension in mind, or whether it would be a limiting factor with this particular house.

quotememiserable

I worked in drainage at councils and water companies for 25 years, and I have no idea what a 'disposal main' is. Sounds like something guessed by someone who has no idea.
First thing, ask them for a map of the house showing where the sewer runs, size and depth. You can also call the water company for this information. As has been said, if it is a public sewer you won't be able to build a permanent structure over it, and they'll have the right to come and work on it at any time, although that's a rare occurence. If it's a small pipe or near the boundary it's no big deal.

Davesnave

quotememiserable wrote: »

As has been said, if it is a public sewer you won't be able to build a permanent structure over it.

Since 2011 all sewers shared by two or more properties are 'public,' and some can be built over.

teneighty

Davesnave wrote: »

Since 2011 all sewers shared by two or more properties are 'public,' and some can be built over.

If it is marked as a public sewer on the water companies plans then it is probably a proper adopted public sewer not just an old shared drain. It would be unlikely the water company would let you build over or near one of their main adopted sewers.

So unless you think you or possibly a future buyer might want to build an extension near the line of the sewer there is no particular problem with this.

g_raju

teneighty wrote: »

If it is marked as a public sewer on the water companies plans then it is probably a proper adopted public sewer not just an old shared drain. It would be unlikely the water company would let you build over or near one of their main adopted sewers.

So unless you think you or possibly a future buyer might want to build an extension near the line of the sewer there is no particular problem with this.

I am unable to upload the image of the map given.

The house in question is a semi-detached and the sewer line goes in the common shared access path with the neighbor to our back gardens. The sewer line does not go all the way to the end of the property and stops in the common access path.

greatgimpo

teneighty wrote: »

It would be unlikely the water company would let you build over or near one of their main adopted sewers.

I think you may be allowed to build over, but a bond may be put in place with the water company which the builder gets back after, say, 10 years. £10,000 solved a nearby problem (for the new build which is being sold by the builder).

teneighty

Does the plan give the diameter of the drain?

100mm and it will probably just be an old shared drain. 150mm and bigger and it could be an adopted public sewer.

Davesnave

teneighty wrote: »

If it is marked as a public sewer on the water companies plans then it is probably a proper adopted public sewer not just an old shared drain. It would be unlikely the water company would let you build over or near one of their main adopted sewers.

Yes, I did say only 'some' would be appropriate to build over, so as not to exclude all, as another poster implied.


The drain I built over in the late 1980s was a true public sewer, but I think that today I'd probably not get approval for what was then allowed.