IKT – Institute for Underground Infrastructure

More than just Water-Tightness: Requirements for Private Site Drainage Systems

There are many water management and operational targets for wastewater systems which can be achieved only if private site drainage is included, as early as the conceptual planning stage concerning construction, operation and rehabilitation. This is legally supported by identical technical requirements for both private and public sewers in the German Water Management Act. Municipalities are therefore obliged to provide timely information and advice to site owners on both technical and legal requirements.

Water management needs to start at private sites

Neither legal nor technical codes of practice differentiate in principle between public and private sewers. This is true both of European requirements and their specific expression in national legislation. What does this mean for site owners and for municipalities who bear responsibility for the disposal of wastewater? It is clear that more than just the water-tightness of the sewers is involved. The condition and functioning of the public and private network as a whole must be included and assured. Questions range from controlling the risk of blockages to the elimination of illegal connections, the prevention of infiltration and the avoidance of nuisance odours. Thus, it is clear that water management needs to start at the individual site.

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Contact

Thomas Brüggemann, Dipl.-Ing.
T: +49 209 17806-18
E: brueggemann@ikt.de