Water & Wastewater Treatment

www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | JULY 2015 | 31 In the know Getting to grips with... Section 104 agreements Material Benefits Drains and sewers are a vital part of any new housing development, which is why developers need to make early decisions on their design and construction T he newly-elected Conservative Government has pledged to create 275,000 affordable homes by 2020. With this in mind, the volume of applications for Section 104 agreements looks set to increase Andy Cullum MarkeTing anD DeveLopMenT DirecTor, poLYpipe civiLs exponentially. To avoid delays and extra cost to their projects, developers will need to consider drainage design and make key decisions – including the choice of materials – as early as possible. What is a Section 104 agreement? A Section 104 agreement (under the Water Industry Act 1991) is an agreement between a developer and sewerage undertaker for the adoption of sewers serving a development. There are strict regulations in place for obtaining an agreement which can be a minefield for developers. The process is o‰en on the critical path of a project and the decisions involved can have huge cost implications. In Wales, the Mandatory Build Standards dictate that a Section 104 agreement needs to be in place before a development can progress. With this legislation likely to be implemented in England, it's vital that all stakeholders in residential build projects understand the process. What is the process for getting an agreement? The route to reaching a Section 104 agreement begins with an initial flood risk assessment, and takes into account the drainage requirements for the entire site to ensure that local sewerage and surface water drainage systems are considered and not overwhelmed. The appointed Consultant Engineer will initiate a design based on the management of stormwater against a chosen storm design return period and an agreed discharge limit. This is typically done for both a '1 in 30' year and '1 in 100' year storm event, plus allowance for climate change, with the former being most frequently adopted by the relevant sewerage undertaker and the latter usually managed privately. Along with Sewers for Adoption guidelines, the sewerage undertaker and local authorities may also have specific requirements that need to be considered, including (but not limited to) the system's design requirements and products approved for use. How can manufacturers help in the process? As well as providing approved products, reputable manufacturers can assist the Consultant Engineer with various design solutions and help to provide assistance with a 'fully engineered design' if engaged with as early as possible in the process. This can help to overcome problematic schemes, allowing the Section 104 application and Drainage Strategy to be accepted and approved with the most appropriate material first time, reducing costly resubmissions and Plastic pipes can be designed and manufactured to meet site needs exactly

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