Drainage options to suit new extension and sort previous bodge.

[Dodgyrog]

Doing groundworks for an extension and just uncovered the existing drainage on my 70's bungalow to what looks to be a bit of a bodge. See photo where the 4 pipe runs from top to bottom are :

Sink / shower waste
Toilet 1
Toilet 2
Rainwater from the whole half side of the roof.

We thought we had a combined system therefore making things easy for the new extension guttering but you will see the rainwater pipe was literally just cut off well away from the sewer and is just running in to the ground about a meter from the house ! Luckily the ground is well draining due to gravel in the area but surely that's not right?

I'll ask BC if they will allow us to hook it (and the new extension guttering) back in to the sewer but I'm doubting they will allow that ? so I guess we are either looking at digging a soakaway in the garden or would they allow the rainwater to be piped away in to an above ground irrigation system? We've a fairly large square garden with large flower beds running all around the edge so a couple of large water butts with an overflow to a length of perforated pipe (around 40 meters) could easily be installed to give us a nice self watering feature without water logging anything, it is very good drainage here. I still think they can be iffy about that kind of thing but any thoughts / other options?

 

[Notch7]

I cant say Im surprised -Ive seen quite a few house downpipes just going into the ground and stopping.

Generally if you want to discharge rainwater into the foul you should notify the water company and they will charge -if they allow it

Of course there are loads of houses which discharge into it anyway -and historically BC are often pragmatic about it.


Since you have ground that drains well, you would be best to drain it into a new soakaway -which has to be sited min 5 metres from the foundation if the new extension. I cant remember how far from the boundary it has to be -is it 2 metres??

Personally I prefer the proper crates -as they allow 100% capacity as opposed to the good old rubble soakaways which silt up quickly

 

[Dodgyrog]

Generally if you want to discharge rainwater into the foul you should notify the water company and they will charge -if they allow it

As it happens we are actually being charged by the water company for rainwater discharge - so I will be claiming that back if we don't end up discharging in to the sewer system!

 

[cdbe]

Call me a cowboy but I'd just "Y" that into the pipe next to it and fit a trapped gulley before BC arrive.

 

[Dodgyrog]

Call me a cowboy but I'd just "Y" that into the pipe next to it and fit a trapped gulley before BC arrive.

I'm already wearing my cowboy hat having suggested to the builders we "rough up" some pipe to make it look old and quickly plumb it in lol