The Transfer of Private Drains & Sewers

8th March 2012

James Warren

Technical Director, UKDP

Agenda

• Introduction – Who are UKDP?

• An overview of the transfer

• Which assets haven’t transferred?

• What are the challenges facing Environmental Health

Practitioners?

• The Drainage Hub

Who are UKDP?

• Pre transfer, UKDP worked under the ABI Drainage Forum ‘Protocol’, facilitating domestic shared drainage projects

• Referrals from over 70 Councils across England and Wales

• UKDP is not a contractor and co-ordinated the various parties involved as an alternative to formal enforcement action

An overview of the Transfer

On 1st October 2011, existing gravity sewers and lateral drains discharging to public sewers transferred to Water & Sewerage Company (WaSC) ownership

Defra’s objectives were that this transfer would;

•End sources of disputes between neighbours

•Ensure that responsibility rests with a body resourced for repairs and which has power to undertake them

•Solve the private sewer problem forever by ensuring all new sewers comply with sensible construction standards and are adopted

•Set those standards nationally rather than each WaSC setting their own

Responsibility – Pre Transfer

Image courtesy of United Utilities

Responsibility – Post Transfer

Image courtesy of United Utilities

Which assets haven’t transferred?

• Pumping stations (to transfer by 1st October 2016)

• Sewers and lateral drains located beneath Crown Land

• Systems serving multiple properties within a single curtilage e.g. Business Parks, Ports & airports, Railway land

• Systems subject to a successful appeal by it’s owners against transfer

• Self contained sewerage systems (septic tanks, cess pits etc.)

What are the challenges facing Environmental Health Teams?

• Financial constraints on WaSCs often mean a reactive approach to drainage issues

• Continued lack of clarity around legal powers to take action, where an environmental health risk arises

• Self contained sewerage systems, often by their nature a more complex issue

• Lack of cross industry communication – multiple parties involved in issue resolution

www.thedrainagehub.co.uk

The Drainage Hub provides a secure environment for individuals across all sectors to connect, communicate and work together effectively

The Hub’s unique “Hot Spot Manager” has been designed to facilitate collaboration amongst interested parties, including Local Authorities by hosting full details of the Hot Spot in a universally accessible location

www.thedrainagehub.co.uk

• Create, view and maintain an easily accessible Hot Spot Record

• Map Hotspots at post code and premise level

• Upload supporting documentation in multiple file formats

• Invite others to become a Hot Spot contact

• Use each Hot Spot’s dedicated forum to share thoughts, ideas and progress

www.thedrainagehub.co.uk

View and contribute to ongoing discussions, ask questions, spark debate and share best practice in The Drainage Hub forums.

• Public forums for general discussion

• Dedicated private forums for Local Authority members

• Hot Spot forums bring interested parties together

www.thedrainagehub.co.uk

Connect to people you know, network and invite colleagues and business partners to join the Hub.

Using social networking technology, The Drainage Hub helps users to develop connections across all industry sectorsLocate and connect with colleagues, business contacts or friends by name or companyCommunicate securely with your contacts through The Hub’s messaging facility

www.thedrainagehub.co.uk

The regularly updated News section of The Hub carries a selection of the latest stories from across the industry

Thank you for your time

Any questions?