Sewer adoption

This stage confirms the allowable discharge rates to the existing network where a public sewer connection is needed.

Our team will inform you of any capacity issues and necessary diversions. You can apply using our developer enquiry form. Our Network Solutions team will handle your enquiry and can be contacted at network.solutions@severntrent.co.uk.

If your site is more complex, we’d suggest discussing your site's strategy with our Sewer Adoption Design Team before completing a S104 submission. Use our Pre-Design Strategic Discussion request form for this.

Early engagement helps design the site and the plan for maintaining the sewerage system. It's best to discuss this before the S104 application or as part of the pre-planning enquiry. This also helps confirm the future owner and maintainer of the sewerage system for your planning application.

This stage makes sure your system meets the Codes for Adoption so you can enter into a S104 Agreement. It confirms the design is technically accepted helping you estimate the costs early on.

Design your sewers according to the Design & Construction Guidance (DCG) in the Sewerage Sector Guidance (SSG).

To offer a new sewerage system for adoption, complete a S104 application.

If you're offering a pumping station for adoption, check the addendum on pumping stations.

Once you have technical approval for your S104, you'll need to enter into a S104 agreement so we can officially adopt the sewers. You can use the online Model Sewer Adoption Agreement template or ask us to create one using the documents listed in your technical compliance letter.

Usually, no changes to the Model Sewer Adoption Agreement are allowed.

We understand you might need to start construction before the S104 agreement is signed. To avoid delays, you can download and submit an Early Start Request form after receiving conditional or technical acceptance and paying the S104 fees. Send the form to sewer.adoptions@severntrent.co.uk, and we'll arrange a pre-start meeting on site.

Before starting construction on new sewers for adoption, you need to complete a pre-start meeting (if we haven’t already carried one out following an Early Start request).

Download and submit the Pre-Start Form to sewer.adoptions@severntrent.co.uk. 

Once approved, one of our Waste Construction Project Managers will contact you to arrange the meeting. We’ll also inspect the sewers during construction too. 

When the sewers are built and 51% of the properties are occupied, they can move to the maintenance phase. 

When your sewers are ready for maintenance, please fill out the Pre-Maintenance Inspection form and email it to sewer.adoptions@severntrent.co.uk.

Before we can do the maintenance inspection, you'll need to confirm that/provide us with:

One of our Waste Construction Project Managers will then arrange a maintenance inspection to confirm the works are ready for a 12-month maintenance period. After that, we'll issue the provisional certificate.

When there’s three months left on your maintenance period, we’ll be in touch to arrange a final inspection.

We’ll need to know that any remedial work has been completed and be made aware of any operational issues that have happened. After this, a final inspection can be arranged and completed. 

We’ll issue the vesting certificate once any outstanding remedial works or legal issues are resolved.

You can apply for this inspection using the Final Adoption Inspection Request form if you’re not quite ready when we contact you. 

This stage confirms any changes to the design after technical acceptance.

Please email sewer.adoptions@severntrent.co.uk with any design changes so we can determine if they are minor and can be noted on the As-built drawings or if a new reassessment is needed.

We now offer qualifying applicants a Bond Waiver on new Section 104 applications.

Please see below links to our scheme guidance notes and application form: