Finding Where The Surface Water Goes

[charliegolf]

Hi All

My Daughter is in the process of buying a house. Her solicitor has flagged up that it is not clear whether the surface water discharges. He wrote to the owners:

Our drainage search reveals that surface water does not drain to a public sewer. Please confirm where the surface water drains to.

The owners have no idea, and the full survey didn't mention it. The building is 190 years old,so I'm not sweating too much, but... since the lawyer thinks it's an issue:

Is there a simple way of working out where the water goes?

Ta.

 

[^woody^]

It's not an issue. It's a saving on the water bill.

 

[Nige F]

If there's no stream nearby it must go to a soakaway.

 

[charliegolf]

Thanks for that. That's what I said- not something to get exercised about. Are there any possible liabilities arising from where the water goes? The wild scenario I can see is that the water causes a damage 'somewhere', and a claim is made. Too fanciful? Cheers.

Nige, agreed. How might I locate it? (Dad is supposed to know everything.)

Both: I am a doubting Thomas. How can I test that the water ISN'T going into the sewer? (Identify where the poop and foul goes, then pour some milk down the gutter and see if it goes down the same drain run or not?)

 

[Nige F]

You can get drain dye to test runs . The only sure way to check a rainwater run is to put a drain camera down by taking the bottom part of the downpipe out. That will tell you how far it goes and what happens to it. You could have the foul checked too for condition at the same time. 190 year old building - you might find a well - great for a gardener

 

[Ian H]

I'd do a dye test too. Green is the best, if there is a manhole close to the boundary watch in there for the dye passing through.

Other things to like look for are the manholes in the road, if they are in pairs then there is likely separate systems for the surface and foul.

You could find something quite cool on a house that age, maybe a brick built chamber under the kitchen or garden.