Water companies have seen their proposals for new sector guidance on sewerage asset adoption given the go-ahead from the water industry regulator. The sector was challenged by Ofwat in 2017, through its Code for Adoption Agreements, to devise new standards for the construction by developers of new sewerage assets that are to be transferred to the local water company.

The new rules, which come into force in April 2020, will provide clear, uniform and comprehensive guidance which will help accelerate housebuilding by smoothing the transfer of ownership and responsibility. This will ensure the assets are effectively managed and maintained.

The new rules also set standards for developers constructing Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) for new housing. This means water companies can quickly and easily take over management and maintenance of the SuDS once the development has been completed. Click here to access the documentation