Before a new or altered property can discharge foul water or surface water into a public sewer, the law says we have to get written permission from the owner of the sewer, such as Anglian Water, Thames Water, or Severn Trent.
This permission is called a Section 106 approval (Water Industry Act 1991). You legally need it before anybody cuts into, cores into, or otherwise connects to a public sewer or public manhole. Connecting into a public sewer without a Section 106 approval is highly illegal.
At JW Clark Ltd handle that whole process for you – from facilitating the application and all paperwork, through to the actual physical connection in the ground.
What Section 106 Approval actually means
In simple terms, Section 106 is the water company giving us formal consent to connect your private drainage system into their public network.
That can cover both:
Foul water (toilet/soil stacks, kitchen waste, sinks, etc.)
Surface water (gutters, rainwater/runoff) where allowed
It applies to:
New builds
Extensions and refurbishments where drainage is altered
Commercial units
Small developments and self-builds
Without this approval, connecting to the sewer is unlawful. The water company can make you dig it back out and can charge for any damage or remedial work.
The process we run on your behalf
Below is the sequence we follow on every job. This is the same basic structure whether the sewer belongs to Anglian Water, Thames Water or Severn Trent.
1. We identify the correct public sewer
We start by confirming:
Where the nearest adoptable/public sewer is
What type of sewer it is (foul / surface / combined)
Who owns it (Anglian Water, Thames Water, Severn Trent, etc.)
How deep it is and where it runs (road, verge, private land)
Direct vs indirect connections
Part of the process is deciding on and alerting the Water Authority as to whether we are connecting directly or indirectly:
Direct connection – We physically connect into a public sewer or an adopted manhole owned by the Water Authority (for example, opening an existing manhole and forming a new inlet).
Indirect connection – We connect into an existing private drain that already discharges into the public sewer. Even though we’re not touching the public sewer itself, we still have to apply for permission. We also have to make sure we’ve got the private owner’s agreement. – Both direct and indirect connections will require inspection and sign off by the Water Authority, but sometimes the level of inspection will be less for an Indirect Connection. This is always detailed on the Approval Letter
2. We prepare the drainage information
The water company will not approve a connection unless they understand what’s being connected and how. So we gather and prepare:
A site location plan
A drainage layout showing foul and surface water pipe runs
Pipe sizes, gradients and materials
The exact proposed point of connection into the public sewer
Who will be carrying out the physical work (us / our team), this includes us supplying our insurances and accreditations.
3. We submit the Section 106 application
We submit the formal application to the correct sewerage undertaker (for example Anglian Water, Thames Water or Severn Trent). This includes:
Project details and site address
Type of discharge (foul, surface, or both)
Whether we are making a direct connection into their asset, or an indirect connection via an existing private drain that already runs into their sewer
How we intend to form the actual connection: for example, into an existing manhole, by installing a new manhole, or by forming a new junction on the sewer – and although the Water Authority will often tend to agree with us on the method of connection, sometimes they will suggest or more often insist on, another method of connection.
At this point we also pay the relevant application fee, which we include in our overall cost to you so it’s visible and not an extra surprise.
4. We deal with the technical review
After submission, the water company reviews the application. They check:
Capacity in the sewer
Suitability of what’s being discharged (for example, making sure surface water isn’t being sent somewhere it shouldn’t). There can also be restrictions on some types of aste, most likely in a commercial sirtiuation.
Access arrangements (is it in the highway, private land, shared access, etc.)
Construction method and safety
If they have questions, they come to us. We handle that back-and-forth.
5. We obtain written approval
Once the Water Authority is satisfied, they issue written consent to connect, often known as the Approval Letter. This is the legal approval we need before any physical work takes place on their sewer.
***However – work cannot start at this point unless in private property***
At this point we need apply to Highways for a Section 50 Licence. We cannot start the Section 50 application process to Highways, until we have the Section 106 Approval Letter in hand. Highways have a legal ‘duty of care’ to make sure that we have legal permission to connect into a sewer.
Click here for more information on applying for a Section 50 Licence
6. We carry out the physical connection
After the Section 106 Approval letter has been issued, and once the Section 50 procedure has been completed, we can programme the physical works. Typical steps include:
Excavation to uncover the existing sewer and connection point
Forming the new connection, which can be done by either i) constructing a new manhole on the existing public sewer ii) Connection by junction insertion or iii) connection by way of saddle connection. Click here for an explanation of different methods of connection.
Excavating for and laying the ‘lateral’ pipework back towards the private site.
Backfill, compaction and full reinstatement of the Highway or in private property where relevant.
7. We arrange inspection and sign‑off
The relevant Water Authority will always want to inspect the connection onto their sewer. Occasionally this can be done by way of photos or a Facetime call, but more often than not, a physical inspection is still carried out.
Even in the event that our customer has facilitated the Section 106 application themselves, we will normally still take care of booking the inspection(s) with the Water Authority. In the event that our customer did the Section 106 application, then they will have to approach the Water Authority for the final sign-off, but if we have done the original application – as is usually the case – then we will always take care of getting the sign-off, and hand over to our customer as part of our full service.
Do you need a sewer connection doing? Click here to make an enquiry, simply change the drop down box at the top to Sewer Connections
Don’t delay – the applications process for a Sewer Connection can take many months, and we’ve know them to take a year with the Section 106 and the Section 50 combined, click here for an explanation on why they take so long.
And if the connection is in the Highway, don’t forget about the Section 50! A Section 106 is usually a relatively quick and simple application, compared to the deadly Section 50! Click here for a rundown on the Section 50 process.
Any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’ve been doing Sewer Connections in the Highway for over 20 years, so you’ll be in good hands!
By JWC