First Time Sewerage

Properties not connected to the main sewerage system may qualify for mains connection under Section 101A of the Water Industry Act 1991. If you’ve got a septic tank or a cesspool to dispose of your household’s wastewater, which may be causing pollution to the local environment, you may be eligible to apply for our ‘first time sewerage’ process. Our factsheet explains the process in more detail and there is an application for you to complete if you think you may be eligible. 

Any application must be for two or more existing properties with a domestic element of drainage which isn’t connected either directly or indirectly to the public sewerage system. Most importantly, an environmental and/or amenity problem must exist, or be likely to arise, which cannot be addressed by improving the existing drainage system. This covers environmental problems such as pollution of a lake, river, stream or ditch, amenity issues such as smell, nuisance or public health problems and as long as providing a public sewer is a practicable and cost-effective solution. This does not apply if there is an existing public sewer available within 30 metres of the property boundary.