The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:51 pm**

We have just received planning approval to build an extension on the side of our house. Unfortunately, the extension footprint would appear to be very close to, if not over, an existing sewer. However, Thames Water have little or no information on the sewer run, there is just a vague drawing showing it is in our garden! My question is: how do i locate this sewer?
There are no manholes visible other than the one right outside our backdoor which takes the waste up the garden via a 4" pipe. Would the absence of a manhole prove that the sewer is not actually in our garden?

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2006 8:12 pm**

Stuman

You will have to get permision from thames to access the sewer in order to carry out a sonar trace, or a CCTV Survey or possibly both if they want a before and after condition report.

A sonar trace will tell you the line the sewer takes, while a cctv survey will tell you its condition

You will access the sewer either from the nearest chamber off site, as indicated on their drawing or possibly from the chamber within your boundary if it discharges into the said sewer at some point.

Manhole/chamber covers often get buried over the years so don`t assume that because you can`t find one the sewer isn`t there. That could be an expensive mistake.

Drawings provided are only an indication of where they think it might, possibly, could be. The onus will be on you to prove its whereabouts and you may well have to use a thames approved contractor to do so.

Edited By flowjoe on 1143486829

The Brew Cabin

Manhole location