8.8 Adoption considerations
SuDS features can remain in private ownership, serving individual or multiple properties, or be adopted by the water company. In the latter case, the SuDS feature must meet the definitions set out in the Sewerage Sector Guidance documentation [Reference 37].
It must be constructed for the drainage of buildings and associated hard landscaping and convey water to a discharge point such as a sewer, watercourse or the ground.
The drainage of some highway areas to such features can be permitted, but this cannot be the main function of the SuDS feature and early discussion with the water company is required.
Reference should be made to the Sewerage Sector Guidance and the UK Water SuDS brochure [Reference 38].
Where the below ground surface water drainage system services private properties and highway drainage, the drains will be defined as sewers and will be adopted by the water company. SCC highways will only adopt the gullies, drainage channels, catchpits, etc. and the lateral connections to the main sewer. SCC highways will only adopt SuDS features that exclusively drain highway land. The only exception to this is those that accept a small amount of surface run off from the front elevations of private homes on dense urban sites where there is no other appropriate drainage solution. Otherwise, private surface water drainage must not connect to the highway drainage system.
The design of SuDS in a given area must comply with a drainage plan, which should be carried out early in the planning process.
The adopting authority of a SuDS feature must also be established in the planning process or early in the detailed design stages agreeing any maintenance responsibilities and commuted sums.
References
- Reference 37: Water UK (2019) Sewerage Sector Guidance Appendix C – Design and Construction Guidance (Return to content for reference 37).
- Reference 38: Water UK (2020) Sewers for Adoption in England - A changed approach to surface water sewers (Return to content for reference 38).