Section 102 existing sewer adoption
See also: Section 102 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 enabling a notice to be issued ordering the discontinuing use, or alteration or removal of buildings or works.
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.
However, sometimes sewers are not adopted when they are constructed. The most common reasons for this are that they have not been constructed to the required standards or that they are in inaccessible locations.
Section 102 of the Water Industry Act, allows the owners of existing private sewers and associated apparatus to apply for them to be ‘adopted’ by the local sewerage authority, who will then maintain them at their own expense.
Authorities may consider adopting private sewers if they are of a suitable construction, they form part of the general sewerage system for the area and they are accessible.
The applicant must first submit general information about the sewer to the authority, who will consider whether it may be appropriate for adoption. Further information is then submitted about the condition of the sewer, and it may then be necessary to carry out remedial works to bring it up to an adoptable standard, as set out in ‘Sewers for Adoption – a Design and Construction Guide for Developers’. An application fee is payable and any direct or associated costs must be met by the applicant.
There is then a statutory 2 month period for objection to the adoption, after which, the sewer may be adopted as a public 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 (the discontinuing use, or alteration or removal of buildings or works).
- Section 104.
- Septic tank.
- Sewer construction.
- Sewerage.
- Soakaway.
- Soil vent pipe.
- Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS.
- Water engineering.
- Water transfers and interconnections.
Featured articles and news
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.
A brief run down of changes intentions from April in an onwards.
Reslating an ancient water mill
A rare opportunity to record, study and repair early vernacular roofs.
CIOB Apprentice of the Year 2025/26
Construction apprentice from Lincoln Mia Owen wins this years title.
Insulation solutions with less waste for a circular economy
Rob Firman, Technical and Specification Manager, Polyfoam XPS explains.
Recycled waste plastic in construction
Hierarchy, prevention to disposal, plastic types and approaches.
UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard V1 published
Free-to-access technical standard to enable robust proof of a decarbonising built environment.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Why talking about prostate cancer matters in construction.
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch up for free, subscribe and share with your network.
The Association of Consultant Architects recap
A reintroduction and recap of ACA President; Patrick Inglis' Autumn update.
The Home Energy Model and its wrappers
From SAP to HEM, EPC for MEES and FHS assessment wrappers.
Future Homes Standard Essentials launched
Future Homes Hub launches new campaign to help sector prepare for the implementation of new building standards.
Building Safety recap February, 2026
Our regular run-down of key building safety related events of the month.























