Fill - Free fillable Build Over Sewer Guidance Building over a public sewer PDF form

Building over a

Public Sewer

Version 3 - March 2018

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 1

Contents

Welcome

Why do I need permission to build over

or near to a public sewer? 3

What else should I consider if I want to

build over or near to a public sewer? 3

Who is responsible for the sewers that

cross my land? 4 - 5

Working with Building Control Bodies

through our ‘Building Over Protocol’ 6 - 7

What is our Protocol?

Am I in a ‘protocol’ area?

Is my development covered by the

Protocol?

My building is exempt from building

regulations, what should I do?

Declaration of works 8

Enquiring to build over or near to a

public sewer 8 - 10

Piling over public sewers

Build Over Submission Check List

FAQ’s 11 - 13

Glossary of Terms 14

Welcome to our building

over a public sewer

guide. Here you will nd

information on what you

should do to request

permission for building

over or near to a public

sewer, along with helpful

scenarios and frequently

asked questions.

This guide only focusses on building over

public sewers or drains. We do not allow

building over water mains.

If you are planning a new development

or extending an existing property and

believe you may be in close proximity to

or building over a public sewer then our

Wastewater Developer Services team

are here to help!

There may be situations where building

over a sewer is not possible however this

guide aims to give you all the relevant

facts and information you need before

enquiring about building over.

Don’t worry, everything you need is in

this guide!

2 United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance

Why do I need

permission to build

over or near to a public

sewer?

If your development is subject to national building

standards (outlined in H4 Building Regulations)

you will need our permission to build over or

within 3 metres of the centreline of a public

sewer.

If this is the case your appointed building control

body (either an independent Approved Inspector

or an inspector from Local Authority Building

Control department) will contact us. This is

usually quite late on in the development process

(after planning permission has been granted) and

therefore we would encourage you to speak to

us early so that there are no hold ups when you

apply for your building regulations approval.

There are a few dierent options to help you

gain our permission depending on what you are

building and how big or deep the sewers close to

your building are.

This guide will explain the dierent approaches

available to you and help you follow the correct

process.

United Utilities have a protocol agreement with

a number of Building Control Bodies across the

region which allows them to act on our behalf

for sign-o on some projects. Most residential

extensions will be covered by this protocol. We

are also signed up to a national approach (with

other sewer companies) for smaller/shallower

sewers that may allow an automatic approval to

your proposals if they meet certain criteria, we

refer to this as the declaration of works process.

Finally we have our enquiry process for the

larger deeper sewers. This guide will explain the

dierent approaches available to you and help

you follow the correct process.

We’re responsible for public sewers in our area

and many of these cross private land. We need

to be sure that your proposals will not aect or

our ability to operate and maintain the sewer and

there will be no impact to the customers who are

served by it.

What else should I

consider if I want to build

over or near to a public

sewer?

Protective strip

A protective strip is the area 3 metres either

side of the centreline of a sewer pipe as detailed

in Building Regulations. The size and depth of

the pipe and the size of your development will

determine if you need our permission to build in

this area.

In all cases, consideration should be given to

avoid building in the protective strip.

Easements

Some pipes are protected by legal ‘easements’.

If an easement exists on a pipe that crosses your

land this should be included in your property

deeds and you should have been made aware of

this when you purchased your property.

Easements exist to make sure we can eectively

operate and maintain our pipes. The terms of

the agreement will usually detail any conditions

associated with building within the easement

area. It is United Utilities policy to honour the

terms of such agreements.

Diversions

Diverting a public sewer is usually more desirable

than having a building constructed over it. This

means that the sewer can always be accessed for

maintenance and repair should a defect occur and

also reduce the impact on your building.

A land owner has the right to request that a

sewer is diverted from their land to facilitate their

development however they would be responsible

for all costs associated with the diversion.

For further information on sewer diversions

then please visit: unitedutilities.com/

sewer-diversion.aspx

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 3

Build over agreements

If we agree to you building over or within 3

metres (of the centreline) of a public sewer, then

the permission will be subject to certain checks,

conditions and possibly a legal ‘Building Over

Agreement’ between the land owner and United

Utilities.

A Building Over Agreement is a legal document

which is usually put in place to protect our larger

or deeper sewers. This is not a legal requirement

but is a condition of our permission when the

development might have a more signicant

impact on our pipes and therefore makes sure

that we can access the pipe if something goes

wrong. A build over agreement will place onerous

conditions on the land owner and independent

legal advice should be sought before entering into

such agreements.

There are legal and administration fees associated

with entering into a “Building Over Agreement”.

Details of these charges can be found on our

charges page.

Who is responsible for

the sewers that cross

my land?

From 1 October 2011, changes to the law

meant that United Utilities, along with all

other water and sewerage companies across

England and Wales, took on responsibility

for the majority of private sewers and lateral

drains (drains located outside the boundary

of your property) laid and being used before

July 2011. Previously, these pipes were the

responsibility of the owners of the property to

which the pipes were connected to.

The aim of the transfer was to remove the

burden of costly maintenance and confusing

responsibilities from our customers whose

homes are served by these sewers and drains.

If you think there might be a pipe crossing

your land we recommend you contact our

Property Searches team on 0370 751 0101

to understand what it is. Please be aware

that due to the private sewer transfer, not all

sewers will be displayed on the maps.

The diagram on page 5 should help to explain

who is responsible for the sewer pipes.

Alternatively you can review our sewer

records at your Local Authority oces, or you

can book an appointment to view our sewer

and water records at our oces at Lingley

Mere Business Park, Lingley Green Avenue,

Warrington WA5 3LP.

4 United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance

•

What am I responsible for?

You are responsible for the pipes, gutters and

drains in and around your home, including the

drains from your property up to your boundary. If

you have a problem with these, you’ll need to call

a plumber (it’s worth checking your insurance rst

as you may be covered for the cost of repair).

If your property was built after June 2011, it’s likely

that United Utilities will only be responsible for the

red sewers shown on the map below.

Typical sewer pipe responsibilty

Key

Private drain (responsibility of home owner)

What is United Utilities responsible for?

If your property was built and occupied before

July 2011 then the pipes that are highlighted

in light blue on the diagram below will be the

responsibility of United Utilities. These pipes

usually drain more than one property and

connect the private sewers and drains to the

public sewer network.

What is your local authority responsible for?

Local Authorities are responsible for road

gullies; small grate-covered openings at the

edge of roads, used to drain surface water from

the highway.

Flats/apartments DetachedTerrace

Public Highway

Semi-detached

Footpath

Property boundary

Shared sewer pipe/pipe beyond the property boundary (responsibility of United Utilities if the

property was constructed and connected to the public sewer prior to 1st July 2011)

Public sewer (responsibility of United Utilities)

Boundary

You can nd more information on sewers

and drains at our website unitedutilities.

com/sewers-and-drains-explained.aspx

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 5

Working with Building

Control Bodies through

our ‘Building Over

Protocol’

What is our Protocol?

We are dedicated to delivering exceptional

customer service and following the private sewer

transfer in 2011, we teamed up with the majority of

local councils (see map opposite for information)

and Approved Inspectors to create our Protocol to

oer customers a a faster, more ecient service

when they come to build.

Our Protocol gives building control bodies the

authority to approve potential build overs on our

behalf; within specic criteria (see gure 1). We

are currently the only water company in the UK

that oers this service.

During and after construction a building control

body is required to conrm that the work complies

with national building standards (outlined in H4

Building Regulations). The customer can choose

whether to use a Local Authority Building Control

(LABC) department or an independent Approved

Inspector to make this assessment.

Am I in a ‘protocol’ area?

If your council is listed opposite, they are not

in our Protocol but you may be able to use our

Declaration of Works process (see page 8 for more

information).

Not all local councils are in the protocol with

United Utilities, but most are. You can check the

map opposite to see if your local council is or, if

you have chosen to use an independent approved

inspector then they will be able to tell you if they

are in the protocol or not.

If the council or approved inspector is not in the

protocol then they will just have to consult with

us with your plans of how you intend to protect

the public sewer and your building from the sewer

(should it ever collapse).

Council areas that are not in the Protocol

Ellesmere Port

& Neston

South Ribble

Pendle

Ribble Valley

Fylde

Blackpool

Chester

Crewe &

Nantwich

Congleton

Wyre

Lancaster

Barrow

South Lakeland

Copeland

Allerdale

Eden

Carlisle

Chorley

Rossendale

Preston

Blackburn

Hyndburn

Knowsley

St Helens

Sefton

Liverpool

Wirral

Halton

Warrington

Wigan

Vale Royal

Maccleseld

High Peak

Craven

Newcastle-under-Lyme

North Shropshire

Staordshire

Moorlands

Bolton

Bury

Salford

Traord

Oldham

Tameside

Stockport

Manchester

West Lancashire

• Carlisle

Figure 1

• Allerdale

• Eden

• Copeland

• South Lakeland

• Barrow

• Tameside

• High Peak

• Staordshire Moorlands

6 United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance

Is my development covered by the

Protocol?

Your development will be covered by the Protocol

agreement if you can answer ‘yes’ to all of the

questions below.

Figure 2

Pipe size Is the pipe less than 300mm in

diameter Yes No

Pipe depth Is your pipe no deeper than 3m

Yes No

12m

Size of Development Is the length of your

new building (over the sewer) smaller than 12m

Yes No

If you have answered ‘no’ to any of the above

questions you will need to submit an enquiry to us

(see page 8 for guidance). Your build will not be

covered under the Protocol.

If you can answer ‘yes’ to all of these questions

all you need to do is simply apply for your

building regulations with your LABC department

or Approved Inspector. Information regarding

building control bodies can be found either in the

Yellow Pages or via an internet search.

When you work with building control; if they are

satised with your proposals and it ts our criteria,

they will approve this on United Utilities’ behalf

and you will not have to contact us for further

approval.

Due to the transfer of private sewers not all sewers

are mapped on the public records. The protocol

allows the building inspectors to deal with most

of the types of pipes that you would expect to

nd around your house however, you or your

builder may come across a larger or deeper pipe

that is outside of the criteria (see gure 2). If this

is the case they will notify United Utilities who

will attend your site within 48 hours to discuss

the proposals with you and the next steps. It is

likely that further investigation and design work

will be required (at your expense) to determine its

exact location condition and to ensure that your

proposals will not aect it.

My building is exempt from

building regulations, what should

I do?

Some structures are exempt from building

regulations however we recommend you still talk

to us about your plans. We will oer advice and

ask that where possible your structure complies

with the Building Regulations as we see this

as good practice which should help you avoid

damaging a sewer.

Your development may fall under our Declaration

of Works criteria please see page 8 for details.

If a pipe is not protected properly, even from a

small conservatory or garage then any damage

to it could cause your new structure to move

or subside. Furthermore, you may be liable for

the damage to the sewer if your new structure

is deemed to have caused it. If we ever need to

repair a defective sewer, this could even mean

removing the structure or gaining access (digging)

through it.

For more information on which

buildings are exempt, please visit the

Government Planning Portal by going

to www.planningportal.gov.uk/

buildingregulations

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 7

Declaration of works

Most residential extensions will be covered

by our Protocol agreement with local councils

and Approved Building Control Inspectors.

However if you are not in a protocol area, not

using an approved inspector that is signed up

to the protocol or are building something that

is not subject to the Building Regulations (some

conservatories etc.) then you may be able to utilise

our declaration of works procedure.

This process can be followed in some very specic

circumstances to allow you to gain consent from

us.

You will need to complete a checklist and

declaration about your development including

your foundation plans, the type, size, location,

access and condition of the sewers. You may need

the support of a competent architect, engineer,

builder or surveyor to answer some of these

questions correctly.

The full criteria is explained clearly within our

declaration of Works Pack which is available on

our website at http://www.unitedutilities.com/

build-over-sewer.aspx

Once you have completed the declaration and

submitted it to us, we will respond within 14 days

detailing the next steps you need to take.

SAFETY IN SEWERS

The Health and Safety of workers on the Public Sewer

Network is our number one priority. All work on public

sewerage apparatus must be agreed in writing by

United Utilities. Your contractor should contact our

call centre on 0345 672 3723 to request an Access

Certicate from the Network Engineer for your council

area. As a minimum requirement, workers carrying

out sewer construction on the public sewer must hold

a current City and Guilds or SQA standard or CABWI

Level 2 Award Certicate for Working in Medium or

High Risk Conned Spaces in the Water Industry. In

addition, those carrying out the work must be suitably

experienced.

Only Intrinsically Safe CCTV equipment

can be used in public sewers

Enquiring to build over or

near to a public sewer

If your building isn’t covered by the Protocol or the

declaration of works procedure (see page 6) you

will need to apply directly to us.

Your enquiry might not be covered under the

protocol if the pipe is too big, too deep or a

signicant amount of the pipe will be covered. It

might also be as simple as your chosen Building

Control Body (Local Authority or Approved

Inspector) has not signed up to our Protocol.

If you need to contact us directly for us to assess

your enquiry, you should complete the following

actions:

STEP 1: Fill in building over enquiry form

(see page 15)

Please answer all questions on the enquiry form

STEP 2: Locate the exact position of the sewer

You may need the services of a specialist drainage

contractor who will be able to locate and trace the

line of the sewer for you. This information can then

be passed to your Architect or Engineer to rene

your design proposals and make sure that they

comply with Building Regulations.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to demonstrate

the exact relationship between any United Utilities’

assets and the proposed development.

Example of a a drainage survey

Pipe in good

condition no

defects or cracks,

water owing

freely

Pipe in poor

condition, cracks,

collapsing change

in shape. This

cannot be built

over or near to

Please note, United Utilities do not currently provide

a sewer location or sewer CCTV service.

8 United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance

------

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.....

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..... -· ..

A number of providers oer a paid for mapping

service including United Utilities. To nd out

how to purchase a sewer and water plan from

United Utilities, please visit the Property Searches

website: unitedutilities.com/property-searches

You can also view the plans for free. To make

an appointment to view our sewer records at

your local authority please contact them direct,

alternatively if you wish to view the water and the

sewer records at our Lingley Mere oces based in

Warrington please ring 0370 751 0101 to book an

appointment.

Due to the public sewer transfer in 2011, not all

sewers are currently shown on the statutory sewer

records and we do not always show private pipes

on our plans.

Please be aware that these records will only give

you an indication of the presence of a sewer, as

you are considering building over or near to a

sewer you will need to determine its exact position

(depth and proximity to your proposed building).

You cannot produce a full design or plan until you

know the exact location of the sewer.

You cannot build over a sewer that is in poor

condition. Therefore you must provide a CCTV

survey and copy of the report provided by the

surveyors when you submit your enquiry to build

over or close to a public sewer.

It is likely the same specialist drainage contractor

who locates and trace the line of the sewer will

also provide this service for you.

Existing House

Extension

Sewer Pipe

Existing

Manhole

Lintels over Sewer

Plan showing proposed building work

Please note, United Utilities do not currently oer any

design services.

STEP 3: Produce location and foundation plans

You may need the help of an architect or a

consulting structural or civil engineer so that

we can clearly see on a plan what protection

measures you have considered for the sewer and

your building. This will help you make sure that

your proposals meet the requirements of the

Building Regulations which include guidance on

how to protect the sewer (Part H4) and how to

protect your building from the sewer, should it

ever fail (Parts A2 & A3). They should be familiar

with the regulations and be able to help you make

a compliant submission.

The plan must be drawn to scale, showing the

building outline and the exact position of the

public sewer(s) in relation to it.

The plans must comply with the guidance that

supports the relevant Building Regulations,

specically the foundation details and how the

sewer and building are protected from each other.

A cross section of the sewer and buildings also

needs to be provided see gures 3 & 4.

Location Plan (not to scale)

Photo of Lintel

over sewer pipe

Cross section

drawing

on Lintel

construction

Lintel over Sewer

Granular

pipe bed and

min 50mm

clearance

Public Sewer

around pipe

Cross section through foundations and

sewer showing protective measures

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 9

....................................... e ......... .

Et ...... .

•

Sewer

Note - pile should be as far

away from sewer as possible.

Minimum

footing

depth

Pile

Piling near sewers

For some deeper sewers pile foundations can be

more cost eective (compared to trench ll or

strip) to ensure that the load from the building is

taken below the pipe.

There are some very important things to consider

though when piling near sewers, such as;

1. Knowing exactly where the pipe is. Even with

the sonar equipment companies use to locate

pipe this might not provide pin-point accuracy

of the line of a sewer. Also for sewers, the

‘sond’ that is put into the pipe might not be

central therefore the reading at ground level

might not be the center of the pipe. You should

discuss this with your drainage contractor as

damaging deep sewers can be very expensive

and sometimes impossible to repair. The only

way to establish the true line of the sewer

would be by digging to expose the crown of the

pipe. Digging near to utilities can be dangerous

and should only be carried out by competent

persons.

2. What ‘type’ of pile to use. There are many

dierent types of pile available and your

engineer or piling contractor will advise you

on the right choice for your design but you

must consider the potential impacts of it on the

sewer. For example ‘driven’ piles can cause a lot

of vibration in the ground and possibly damage

the sewer (and other buildings). Driven piles can

also cause displacement of the soil around as

well as adding horizontal pressure on the pipe.

Augured piles are usually preferable as this

involves drilling out the ground and replacing

it with a concrete pile. Sometimes the pile can

be augured until past the sewer and then driven

in but again your engineer or piling contractor

should advise you on the best approach.

3. Your responsibility. You should ensure that

you make your engineer and piling contractor

aware of any sewers and other utilities (water

and gas pipes). You should also be aware of

who is taking responsibility for the work near to

the public sewer. For example, when you sign

for an order for a piling contractor, the small

print may say that you are responsible for all the

utilities on the site. Discuss this with contractor,

sometimes they will oer to survey the sewer

before and afterwards to check its condition.

Build Over Submission Check List

Enquiry Form CCTV survey

Site location and foundation plan

(a further survey will be required after

construction if permission is given)

Fees

An administration fee of £172.00 will be payable

if permission is granted by us and a build over

agreement is required. There will also be legal

fees payable associated with arranging the legal

agreement which are £369 for household premises

and £522 for non-household premises. The legal

fees will be requested by our legal department

when the draft agreements are issued to your legal

representative.

Fees will not be payable if we object to your

development.

Larger and/or deeper sewers may require more

information to support your foundation design,

which we will request from you following your

initial enquiry. This information may need to be

sent to our Civil/Geo-technical Engineers and any

fees associated with checking this information

will be charged ‘at cost’. Information on all of our

charges can be found at unitedutilities.com/

services/builders-developers/charges-scheme

Please submit all the above information with your

build over enquiry form either by email;

Wastewaterdeveloperservices@uuplc.co.uk

Or by post to; Developer Services,

Windermere House, Lingley Green Avenue,

Great Sankey, Warrington WA5 3LP.

10 United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance

FAQ’s

Why do I need an agreement

with United Utilities?

United Utilities own all public sewers in our region.

As we are responsible for maintaining our sewer

network we need to make sure that building work

does not restrict our ability to do this or cause

damage to our sewers.

The extra weight of a new building near to a

sewer can cause the sewer to collapse resulting

in damage to the building and interrupting

drainage to existing properties. This can cause

sewer ooding both internally and externally to

customers properties. In these circumstances

we would need access to our sewer in order to

repair it which could result in the building being

demolished.

The consultation of the sewerage company is

in Building Regulations 2010 Part H4. Building

Inspectors may ask to see a copy of your

agreements before they will sign o your

completion certicate.

Copies of this document can be viewed at:

www.planningportal.gov.uk/

buildingregulations/approveddocuments/

downloads

What is a public sewer?

A sewer is a pipe that carries wastewater from

more than one property. They can be on private

or public land however they’re mostly in the

ownership of the local Water and Sewerage

Company.

What is a lateral drain?

A drain is a pipe that carries wastewater away

from one property. Drains belong to the owner of

the property they are connected to.

A drain is the property owner’s responsibility until

it connects to either someone else’s drain or a

sewer, or if it passes into somebody else’s land.

Please see page 5 of this document for examples.

You must ensure that your proposals do not

fully cover over a lateral drain that serves other

properties. Building over it will remove our ability

to access and maintain that drain in the future.

Nearly every property is connected to its

own private drains, and the property owner is

responsible for maintaining and repairing them.

Some properties have shared drains, such as a

block of ats. Owners of these properties are

jointly responsible for their drains.

A lateral drain is the part of a drain which lies

outside the property boundary, and in some cases,

can be located under someone else’s land or a

road. Before 1 October 2011, lateral drains were the

responsibility of the individual property owner.

What is a Build Over

Agreement?

There are some circumstances when we will need

to arrange a formal ‘Building Over Agreement’.

This is a legal document which is put in place to

protect the sewer/drain and makes sure that we

can access the pipe if something ever goes wrong.

In some circumstances we may issue a

retrospective Building Over Agreement if work has

already been carried out over or close to a public

sewer. This is by exception only and where all our

criteria has been met.

What happens if I do not

apply?

The absence of a Completion Certicate which is

issued by your building control body at the end of

your build, can cause some problems when trying

to sell your property. If you have not sought the

proper permission from United Utilities then the

building control body will not be able to issue this

Certicate.

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 11

I am not sure if I am building

within three metres of a public

sewer what do I need to do?

You may need the services of a specialist drainage

contractor to determine if your build falls within 3

metres of a sewer.

They will usually undertake a ‘probe and mark’

with a sonar device to plot the line of the sewer at

ground level and establish its depth.

United Utilities doesn’t currently oer this service

however private contractors can be found using an

internet search.

When will building over or

close to a United Utilities asset

not be allowed?

We will not agree to the following being built over:

• Pumping/Rising mains

• Manholes

• Most brick, masonry or pitch bre sewers

• Strategic Sewers (usually large diameter,

deep sewers)

• Water Mains

When would your enquiry be

refused?

• The Build Over enquiry form is either

incomplete or information is not clear.

• No location plans have been submitted with the

enquiry form.

• Plans do not show the exact location of the

sewer (we need to see the position of the sewer

and the ow direction in relation to the existing

building and the proposed building work before

any assessment can be made).

• Plans show that you wish to build over a

manhole or inspection chamber.

• The enquiry is for a new dwelling built over a

sewer. We would expect existing sewers to be

diverted around new buildings.

• No cross section drawings have been

submitted. We require this drawing if the

building is over or within 3m of the sewer as

we need to see how the foundations will be

constructed. Cross section drawings must

show the foundation in relation to the sewer,

with clearance marked and any bridging detail

specied.

• Minimum clearance has not been achieved

between the foundations and the pipe.

• Foundations have not been taken below the

invert level of the sewer.

• Plans show that the sewer is surrounded in

concrete. Pipes must be surrounded in pea

gravel unless agreed otherwise.

• The proposal includes a plan to remove a

critical access point or change of direction

manhole.

Can I build over a manhole?

We will not grant permission for new buildings (or

extensions to buildings) to be built over existing

access to public sewers.

Can I start work before

permission is received?

Building work shouldn’t start until approval has

been granted. If following our assessment (or

after assessment by an Inspector) your design

plans need to be amended, it is more dicult to

do if building work has begun. This is also likely to

mean that you could incur more cost that could be

avoided.

Often a pre-construction CCTV survey will need

to be completed to check the condition of the

sewer.

What happens if the sewer is in

poor condition?

We will not agree to building over or near to any

sewer that is in poor condition and reserve the

right to withhold permission to build over until all

defects are rectied.

We have a responsibility to carry out repairs to

defective sewers, however this work would be

prioritised according to customer impact, risk and

business needs. Therefore the time scales involved

in arranging any works may not be conducive to

your building works.

12 United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance

In certain circumstances, to facilitate the building

works and only where we classify the defects

as no immediate risk to customers, we may

grant permission for you to appoint a competent

contractor to carry out a repair. This will be at

your own expense and any permission to carry out

works would be assessed on a site by site basis.

Can I divert the sewer?

We would prefer a sewer to be diverted rather

than built over (if this is feasible) so that we

can easily access the sewer if ever needed for

maintenance and repair. You need permission

to divert a public sewer and more information,

including an enquiry form can be found on our

website unitedutilities.com/sewer-diversion.aspx

The sewer from my property

drains from my property only.

Do I need permission from

United Utilities?

See page 5 for information on sewer responsibility.

What does the Building

Regulations have to do with a

sewer?

The building regulations is the legislation which

states that you need the permission of the sewer

owner (in this case United Utilities) to build over or

within 3 metres of it.

Your building will have to meet these regulations

in order for your appointed building control

body to issue with your ‘completion certicate’

when you nish your works. Upon receipt of your

enquiry, you should keep a copy of this response

to your appointed building control inspector or the

Local Authority.

We ask that your submission complies with the

building regulations guidance as it oers good

advice around protecting drains and sewers from

buildings and also protecting buildings from drains

and sewers should they ever fail.

It is essential that we see that you have fully

considered the sewer and how to protect it from

your building in line with these regulations this

helps us make the right decision whether we can

grant permission or not for your development to

be built.

Working on or entering the

public sewer (including CCTV

survey work, altering the

public sewer or public sewer

manholes)

Prior to any of the above works taking place -

your appointed contractor will need to obtain an

Access Certicate from United Utilities. They will

need to submit their Risk Assessments, Method

Statements and City & Guilds Conned Space

Certicates to the Network Engineer in order to

obtain this permission. They will need to call our

call centre and ask for the Network Engineer for

your Local Authority area in order to gain work

authorisation, the number to call is 0345 672 3723.

All of United Utilities wastewater assets fall

under the ‘Dangerous Substances and Explosive

Atmospheres Regulations’ (DSEAR) and as such all

sewers are classed as ‘zone 2’. This means that any

CCTV survey equipment used within the sewers

needs to be intrinsically safe (Ex rated) as to not

cause ignition or spark in a potentially explosive

atmosphere.

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 13

Glossary of Terms

Foul Water Drain/Sewer A pipe that carries waste water from the property eg toilet,

bath, shower, dishwasher etc. Surface rain water should not be

discharged into a foul sewer

Combined Sewer A pipe that carries waste water and surface water away from

the property

Surface Water Sewer A pipe that carries away rainwater from the property. Foul

water should not be discharged into this pipe

Manhole A Large chamber allowing us physical access to our sewer

network. Only authorised personnel can have access

Inspection Chamber A small chamber which is used to rod and jet the sewer if there

are any blockages

Y Junction A Pre formed junction pipe used for new connections

Property Drain This is a private drain which will only serve the one property

Lateral Drain A pipe serving one property which is located on third party

land. This is owed and maintained by United Utilities

Rodding Eye A small entry into the sewer to allow access for rodding in case

of blockages

Invert Level The level of the sewer or drain which can be measured from

the inside of the bottom of the pipe

Sot Level The most highest point inside the pipe

Cover Level The measurement taken from the highest point of the manhole

cover

14 United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance

[IJ[IJ[IJ

•

• •

•

I aAunited

\:, Utilities

&~Ing life f\oW smoothly

• •

•

Section 1 The applicant

Name

Company’s name

(if applicable)

Home or company address

(including postcode)

Daytime telephone number

(a mobile number is ne)

Section 2 The site owner (if dierent from the applicant)

Owner’s name

Owner’s address

(including postcode)

Daytime telephone number

(a mobile number is ne)

Section 3 Site details

Site name

Site address

(or nearest main road)

Nearest postcode

Contractor’s name

Contractor’s daytime telephone

number (a mobile number is ne)

Is the site accessible? e.g. locked gates

Yes

Proposed start date on site D M YD M Y

Development type

(Please tick all that apply)

New building

Side extension Rear extension Basement

Single storey Two storey Additional storey (above existing extension)

Conservatory

Other

Details of sewer proposed to be

built over

Size of sewer

Depth of

sewer

Total length of sewer

proposed to be built over

Foundation details

Existing foundation

type (if known)

Depth of existing

foundation (if known)

Building over a public sewer

enquiry

United Utilities Build over a Public Sewer Guidance 15

• • •

• •

Section 4 Planning

Is the development exempt from

planning regulations

Yes No

If yes, please

state why

Does the site

have planning

permission?

Full

Yes

No Application Submitted

Planning reference number

(if applicable)

Outline

Yes

No Application Submitted

Planning reference number

(if applicable)

Section 5 Building regulations

Is the development exempt from

building regulations?

Yes

If yes, please

state why

Have you applied for building

regulations?

Yes

No Application Submitted

Reference number

(if applicable)

Section 6 Inspector details

(Local Authority Building Control or independent Approved Inspector?)

Who is inspecting the site?

Local Authority Building Control Independent Approved Inspector

Name of Local Authority or

company name for Approved

Inspector

Inspector’s name

Inspector’s daytime telephone

number (a mobile number is ne)

Inspector’s email

Section 7 Please conrm all supporting information is attached with your enquiry

Nb. We cannot respond to your enquiry without the information listed below

Site location plan (scale 1:1250)

Yes No

Site plan (scale 1:100) clearly identifying:

Site boundary edged green, proposed building edged yellow, foul sewer coloured brown, surface water

sewer coloured blue, combined sewer coloured red and position of existing manholes

Yes No

Dimensional section through proposed building, indicating the position of foundations relative to sewer

Yes No

Dimensional plan showing position of sewer relative to the building

Yes No

Copies of drawings submitted to Building Control for approval

Yes No

Section 8 Declaration

I understand that the submission of this form is to be treated as a preliminary enquiry and the information may be subject to change.

In particular, I understand that the information United Utilities Water Limited provides in response is valid only in conjunction with the

information provided in relation to this enquiry, any changes to regulation or development layout will invalidate our response.

Name (please print) Signature

Company Date

For United Utilities use only

Date received UUW Ref no:

Please return this form to: United Utilities Developer Services, Windermere House, 1st Floor, Lingley Mere Business Park, BC0414

Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington WA53LP

About us

United Utilities is the North West’s water company. We keep the taps owing

and toilets ushing for seven million customers every day. From Crewe to

Carlisle, we work hard behind the scenes to help your life ow smoothly.

United Utilities Water Limited, Haweswater House, Lingley Mere Business Park, Lingley Green Avenue, Warrington WA5 3LP.

Registered in England and Wales. Registered Number 2366678.

03/18/SD/7757 7221a

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