Section 104 new sewer adoption
Section 104 of the Water Industry Act 1991 provides a mechanism for newly-constructed private sewers and pumping stations to be ‘adopted’ by the local sewerage authority, who will then maintain them at their own expense.
Appropriate information must be provided so that the authority can determine whether the sewer will be suitable for adoption. A Technical Vetting and Administration Fee (TVA) will be payable which is 2.5% of the estimated construction cost.
A Section 104 adoption agreement must be entered into before construction of the sewers begins. A bond is also required which is 10% of the estimated construction cost.
The sewer must be designed and constructed so that it complies with the requirements of sewers for adoption, and the appropriate permissions must be in place. Where connection to the public sewer is required, a sewer connection application must be made under Section 106 of the Water Industry Act.
As-built drawings of the sewer must be provided to the authority.
Once the local sewerage authority is satisfied with the condition of the sewers, they will issue a provisional certificate of completion. The applicant then remains responsible for the maintenance and repair of the sewers for an agreed period (typically 3 to 12 months), after which a final inspection is undertaken. Once any required remedial works have been completed a final certificate of completion will be issued and the bond will be released.
Section 102 of the Water Industry Act, allows the owner of an existing private sewer to apply for the adoption of their sewer.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Drainage.
- French drain.
- Groundwater control in urban areas.
- Highway drainage.
- Planning for floods.
- Private sewer.
- Public sewer.
- Rainwater harvesting.
- Safe working in drains and sewers.
- Section 102 existing sewer adoption.
- Septic tank.
- Sewer construction.
- Sewerage.
- Soakaway.
- Soil vent pipe.
- Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS.
- Water engineering.
- Water transfers and interconnections.
Featured articles and news
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.

























