New sewer connections

Find out what to do if you need to make a new connection to a public sewer or increase your current wastewater flow.

 

Connecting to our sewer network works a little differently from joining the water supply. Instead of doing the work ourselves, we review and approve your plans, then inspect the finished connection to make sure everything meets the right standards.

All you need to do is hire a qualified drainage contractor to carry out the work. We’ll guide you through the process and support you every step of the way.

Types of sewer connections

There are two types of connection to our sewer network:

A direct connection is when your private drain connects straight into a public sewer (either on private land or on the public highway).

If your nearest suitable drainage point is the public sewer and it’s practical and safe to access, a direct connection is typically the best option.

An indirect connection is when your private drain connects into another private drain or private sewer that eventually flows into the public sewer.

This is common where your property sits further away from the public sewer or where another private pipe is more accessible.

Before you begin

It’s important to know the location of our sewer pipes before starting work – this way you’ll have a good idea of nearby connection points and understand the type of connection you’ll need (direct or indirect).

Our records will show mapped public sewers in your area but they don’t show private drainage that could be available. That’s why you should always check whilst on site looking out for things like manhole chambers, covers and gulleys.

It’s your responsibility to check the pipe you plan to connect to and make sure it’s suitable for carrying your wastewater. These checks can range from simple steps, like lifting manhole covers or using dye testing, through to more detailed CCTV surveys to understand the route and condition of the sewer.

Request a sewer map

How to make a new connection to our sewer

You can apply for approval to make a new connection to our sewer online or via our PDF form. Before applying, you’ll need to know:

Once you’ve submitted your application:

During this stage, we’ll review your application form, plans, and any supporting documents you’ve provided. One of our dedicated Evaluation Technicians will carry out a thorough assessment to make sure your proposals won’t affect our existing network.

We’ll keep you updated at every step. If something doesn’t look quite right, we’ll get in touch straight away to talk through your options and give you the chance to update your proposal.

Once your application has been successfully assessed, we’ll send you a formal Acceptance/Approval Notice (usually by email). This confirms that we’re happy with your proposals and you have our approval to connect to our sewer network. We aim to issue your Acceptance/Approval Notice within 21 days of confirming your pre‑assessment was successful.

Your Acceptance/Approval will be valid for 12 months from the date it is issued. If the works aren’t completed within this timeframe, you’ll need to submit a new application and payment.

Your chosen contractor can now go ahead and schedule the new sewer connection. As we need to be present for direct connections, please make sure we’re given at least five working days’ notice when arranging the date.

Before any work begins, please take a moment to read your Acceptance/Approval Notice. This contains important information about your connection, including who to contact to arrange the required inspection.

For indirect connections, your Building Control Officer is responsible for inspecting the work and signing it off. You don’t need to notify us when the indirect connection is being made.

On the connection date, your named contractor must be on site to help lift covers and confirm the materials used during the connection works. This helps us check that everything has been installed to the required standard.

If the connection to the public sewer is on private land, we’ll only need to inspect the actual point where your pipe joins the public sewer. 

If your connection is made to a public sewer on private land, all of the new pipework you install will stay private. But if you connect to a public sewer in the public highway and the new pipe you install is 15 metres or less, we’ll normally adopt that section of pipe and take over responsibility for maintaining it.

Once our inspector has checked and approved the work, we’ll send you a vesting certificate within 8 weeks. This will include a simple drawing showing where your connection is in the highway and exactly how much of the pipework we’re adopting - from the public sewer up to your site boundary.

How much your sewer connection application will cost

The fee you pay depends on the type of connection you need. It covers us reviewing and processing your application and, where needed, a site inspection to make sure everything has been installed correctly ahead of making the new sewer connection:

Scenario Cost What you’ll get
Connecting to an existing private drain or sewer, discharging into the public sewer (indirect connection) £119.91
  • A dedicated point of contact throughout your journey, who you can reach directly whenever you need support.
  • Clear confirmation of the connection type you need, so you know exactly what’s required for your development.
  • Detailed capacity checks on our network to ensure we can safely manage the additional wastewater flow.
  • A full review of all documents you provide, enabling us to issue your acceptance letter with confidence.
Connecting directly to a public sewer located on private/third party land (direct connection) £279.83
  • A dedicated point of contact throughout your journey, who you can reach directly whenever you need support.
  • Clear confirmation of the connection type you need, so you know exactly what’s required for your development.
  • Detailed capacity checks on our network to ensure we can safely manage the additional wastewater flow.
  • A full review of all documents you provide, enabling us to issue your approval letter with confidence.
  • Up to two visits from our qualified inspectors, if needed, to make sure your connection is completed correctly and to the right standard.
Connecting directly to a public sewer located within the adopted public highway (direct connection) £515.28
  • A dedicated point of contact throughout your journey, who you can reach directly whenever you need support.
  • Clear confirmation of the connection type you need, so you know exactly what’s required for your development.
  • Detailed capacity checks on our network to ensure we can safely manage the additional wastewater flow.
  • A full review of all documents you provide, enabling us to issue your approval letter with confidence.
  • Assessment of whether any pipework within the highway is suitable for adoption.
  • Where applicable, preparation and issue of the adoption paperwork.
  • Up to two visits from our qualified inspectors, if needed, to make sure your connection is completed correctly and to the right standard.

Things to consider before you apply

We’re unable to recommend a contractor to make the new sewer connection but your builder or local building control may have some good suggestions.

If your connection is in the public highway your contractor will need to have the right accreditation.

Our acceptance or approval to connect covers your connection to the public sewer, but it doesn’t automatically give permission to cross land owned by someone else.

If your pipework needs to pass through third‑party land, you may need to contact the landowner to request permission or arrange an easement.

It’s really important that wastewater and rainwater are sent to the correct sewers. 

If the two are mixed up, dirty water can overflow into rivers and streams, increasing the risk of pollution and harming the environment.

Making sure everything is connected correctly helps protect local waterways, reduces flooding risks, and keeps the sewer network working as it should.

Your Acceptance/Approval is valid for 12 months from the date we send it so be sure you’re ready to make the connection once you get the go-ahead.

If the works aren’t completed within this timeframe, you’ll need to submit a new application and pay another application fee.

Please explore sustainable ways to manage your surface water (the rain that runs off your roof, driveway, patio, or other hard surfaces).

We can only accept surface water into our network when there are no other suitable options available.

By working together, we can protect the environment and help prevent flooding – especially during heavy periods of rainfall.

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)

If you’re connecting to our sewerage network for the first time and you already receive water services from us, please contact us once the connection is complete so we can update your account and begin billing you for wastewater removal.

Contact us

Read our guidance for making new sewer connections

Apply for our approval to make a new sewer connection

When you’ve chosen a contractor and know where you plan to connect to, you can apply for approval to connect to our sewer. Application fees are required.

If you need help finding the right application form to use, get in touch with our team - they're here to help.