'PUDDLING' in garden

[LooPrEvil]

you are not allowed to put surface water into a foul water sewer

Thanks. That is strange though, because as I originally mentioned, my surface and foul water share the same drainage system.

So I am breaking the law because of that?

 

[stem]

I think there is a difference between surface water, which I believe is defined as water that drains from the roof of a building and paved areas, which can share a foul drain in certain circumstances and the approval of whoever treats your sewage. This type of surface water is different from a land drain, for all of the reasons stated in the previous posts.

The solution to this is quite easy. "Under section 61 of the Building Act 1984, any person intending to repair, reconstruct or alter a drain must give 24 hours notice to the local authority of their intention to carry out works. They must also give free access to the local authority to inspect the work."

So when you contact your Local Authority Building Control to tell them what you plan to do, they will advise you. When they do, please post back on here their advice so that others can benefit too.

 

[LooPrEvil]

Thanks stem - that seems like very good advice, I will get in touch with my LABC.

 

[LooPrEvil]

I was talking to a neighbour of mine earlier today who has had the same problem. He informs me that there are older properties that have combined surface and foul water drainage systems so my property is apparently not contravening any regs.

My neighbour tels me that he inserted land drains (but clays one's) surrounded them with limestone and replaced top soil and turf.

Where he met the existing drain he broke into the top face of it and then used large pieces of slate to cover the break and the land drain ran to this point. The land drain was again surrounded by limestone and reinstated. He does not have a problem to this day, after doing the work about 10 years ago.

 

[merlin50]

if you want to take the risk do it simples

 

[stem]

There are older properties that have combined surface and foul water drainage systems so my property is apparently not contravening any regs.

You seem to be missing the point here. Combined surface water and foul water drains can be OK. The system is airtight. The underground pipes connecting it to the main sewer are plastic, or glazed, the joints are sealed and at every entry point a water filled trap keeps the system airtight. This prevents the escape of vermin, sewage and foul air from the sewer.

But you are not talking about 'Surface Water' (which is water from a roof or paved area) or 'Foul Water', you are talking about a 'Land Drain'

To this airtight system you are proposing to add a 'Land Drain' with porous, open pipes and no traps to prevent the escape of air, vermin, or sewage from the sewer.

If the gradient of the land drain was insufficient, or in times of heavy usage / heavy rain, or in the event of a blockage Sewage would flow down the land drain pipes and soak out of it into your garden.

Your neighbours system may have worked for 10 years, but, how does he know that the wet soil below the surface is because of earlier rain, or from sewage leaking out from his porous land drain into his garden.

If you do go ahead and do this, you are turning an airtight sewage system into an open drain, the sort of thing that causes the heath problems in 3rd world countries. It is a health hazard and that's why it's illegal.

 

[LooPrEvil]

Thanks stem, I take your point.

But although the system will be air tight what about the event of flooding or a blocked drain? The traps will not prevent sewage back flowing through the system.

What if I create a trap as previously mentioned?

Alternatively what if a create a new paved area where it tends to get waterlogged (it is now surface water?) - could I incorporate a grid and trap and run that into the existing drain (but, again, how would I connect to the existing drain?)?

Its an interesting dilemma for me!

 

[merlin50]

it's illegal but do it anyway, you know you want to.

 

[LooPrEvil]

Merlin - I do appreciate your comments. Thank you.

 

[LooPrEvil]

I was given another 'possible' (?) option today.

We are planning on having a kitchen extension which if approved, will require a new manhole fitting (I am not sure way, but we do not have any manholes on our land). The option was to run any additional land drainage into the manhole, as this would not mean having to break into the drain, and also it would mean it could enter about two feet higher than the existing drain level.

Any views are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[merlin50]

the building inspector will love that idea

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

LooPrEvil, you do not seem to understand. Whilst there are many combined systems across the country the law has now changed plain and simple! It is now illegal to drain surface water into a drain be it foul, surface or combined without consent from Building Control or the waterboard of which in this case is extremely unlikely like 0.000000001% chance!.

 

[LooPrEvil]

I appreciate that I have possibly committed an offence, but I opted to drill four 12mm holes into the drain, put a few large stones over the top and then covered with about 300mm of limestone. But the land drain in, reinstated, and all seems well as we have had some heavy down falls in the last day or so, and the puddling has gone (and nobody ever needs know!).

Thanks to all for your advice, and my apologies to those who do not agree with my method.