Concerns raised over illegal drain connections

As many as one in five homes and businesses are threatening the nation's rivers and lakes due to pollution, as their drains are illegally connected to clean water systems.

The Environment Agency has found that large numbers of households are misconnected and are inadvertently sending polluted water into natural streams and waterways.

However, sometimes entire estates are being illegally connected, according to the agency's latest report.

Tricia Henton, director of environment protection at the agency, said: "Wrong connections of washing machines are common but we also know of cases where entire housing and industrial estates have been incorrectly connected to the drainage system, discharging used dirty water and sewage into surface water drains which go straight to our rivers and groundwaters."

The agency is now calling for the introduction of Sustainable Drainage Systems (Suds) in the building of new homes, which will aim to reduce and intercept pollution by cleaning water before it enters rivers and groundwater.

"Resolving the problem of drains wrongly connected to surface water sewers requires homeowners, builders and plumbers to take more care and for building regulations to be enforced," added Ms Henton.



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