Lateral drain
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
A drain is a pipe that serves only one building as a means of conveying water and waste water away to a sewer.
A lateral drain is a section of pipe that is positioned outside the boundary of a building. It may be located under a public pavement or road and either connects to a neighbour's drain or connects directly to a public sewer. It can also be placed under a property in situations where the sewer is shared between neighbours.
A lateral drain is a length of public drain that connects with the drains from other buildings to become a sewer. A public lateral drain carries wastewater and excrement away from a multi-occupant property such as a caravan site or a block of flats.
[edit] Changes to maintenance arrangements
In England and Wales, the arrangement for lateral drains changed on 1 October 2011. Lateral drains that had been previously connected to the public sewer before 1 July 2011 were transferred to the ownership of the local sewerage companies (generally water companies). According to the regulation (referred to as The private sewers transfer regulations), ‘Lateral drains situated upstream of lengths of sewer which are on or under land opted-out of transfer by a Crown body, or which are owned by a railway undertaker (and therefore specifically excluded in the transfer regulations) are also transferred.’
If a private pipe becomes blocked before it joins the public infrastructure, it is the owner’s responsibility - not the sewerage authority - to pay for repairs or replacements of the pipe. It is generally not the responsibility of the building occupant or owner to maintain a lateral drain. Sewerage companies are typically responsible for public lateral drains since they are usually connected to a sewer network that is maintained by a local water company. This company is permitted to enter a property if it is necessary to inspect or service the public lateral drain.
[edit] Adopting lateral drains
New or existing lateral drains can be adopted by a sewerage company under Section 102 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (for existing structures) or section 104 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (for new structures).
Those responsible for maintaining the lateral drain must agree to having this responsibility transferred to the sewerage company. Once an agreement has been reached, the sewerage company will then maintain the lateral drains at their own expense.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Curtilage
- Difference between drains and sewers
- Drains
- Private sewer
- Sewerage
- Sewer construction
- Waste water
[edit] External resources
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, The private sewers transfer regulations.
Featured articles and news
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
CIOB Construction Manager of the Year 2025
Just one of the winners at the CIOB Awards 2025.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.