Lewes District Council

Reporting An Incident

If you are concerned about the quality of your drinking water you should contact your water company in the first instance.

• Drinking Water Inspectorate: Water company list

The Drinking Water Inspectorate has overall responsibility for assessing the quality of drinking water in England and Wales. For general water quality enquiries or where your water companies does not resolve a problem with your drinking water quality contact them. 

• Drinking Water Inspectorate
• Telephone: 030 0068 6400
• Facsimile: 030 0068 6401
• E-mail: dwi.enquiries@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Sewage, oil and chemicals contamination relating to fresh, marine, surface or underground water

• The Environment Agency
• 0800 80 70 60
• Report An Incident

Major sea pollution can also be referred to:

• Maritime & Coastguard Agency

Minor sea pollution and other water contamination can be referred to us. However, we are able to offer advice in all instances.

• Environmental Health
• 01273 484354 (office hours)
• 01273 484340 (out of hours)

Drinking water

A private water supply is one which is not provided by a water company.  There are currently 14 Private Water Supplies in the Lewes District most are supplied by a borehole or well.

Some serve individual properties but many supply water to more than one property and in some cases a large number of properties and businesses may be supplied by a large supply network.

Under the Private Water Supply Regulations 2009, we have a duty complete a risk assessment of all private water supplies in their area that provide water to two or more properties by 2015.  Supplies must be monitored to ensure the water provided is wholesome.  The owners and consumers of supplies that only serve single properties can also request a risk assessment and monitoring.

It is the responsibility of the owner of a private water supply to ensure that the supply is protected against any potential source of contamination.  Where a failure in the quality of the water is detected we will require the owner to take whatever action is necessary to ensure compliance with the required standards.

Private distribution systems have been included the new regulations.  This is where water is supplied from the mains and then further distributed by another person.  It is likely that the number of supplies that the Council will be monitoring will increase.

Private water supplies in the Lewes District have to be registered with us.  To check if your supply is registered or to register a supply please contact the Environmental Health department. Further information on private water supplies can be obtained from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).
 

Beaches

From May to September the Environment Agency takes weekly tests of the sea water at Saltdean, Newhaven and Seaford. This checks it complies with the EU Bathing Water Directive. The results are displayed at our Tourist Information Centres and at Newhaven and Seaford beaches.

Drains

Public Sewers under highways are the responsibility of the appropriate water authority. They deal with any problems free of charge.

The pipe from a property that joins into the public sewer is called a private drain and is the property owner's responsibility. This may be linked to others from neighbouring properties before reaching a public sewer.

The responsibility of this private sewer is shared between the owners of the properties it serves, irrespective of where the defect occurs. We may serve a Legal Notice on those responsible to remedy any defects causing a risk to public health. Specialist contractors should be hired to do the work.

Ditches

The vast majority of roadside ditches are owned by the adjoining landowner. The owner has a legal responsibility to prevent a hazard being caused to users of the highway. They should be maintained regularly to keep free of silt and other debris in order to reduce the possibility of flooding.

A Parish or Town Council, or any member of the public can approach the owner to clear a ditch. If this is not successful, East Sussex County Council has legal powers to enforce action at the ditch owner’s expense in circumstances where there is a risk of flooding to the highway.

In places where ditches or watercourses crossing private land present a risk of flooding to property, we have legal powers to enforce action by the ditch owners.

Effluent

Effluent is liquid waste produced by businesses. Detergents, cooling waters, chemicals and small amounts of oil are all examples. Many businesses will produce trade effluent and require consent to discharge effluent to drains. Otherwise an offence may be committed that may lead to enforcement action.

Cess Pits

A cess pit is a sealed storage tank holding sewage before being taken away by a tanker. The sewage is not treated in the tank. Older cess pits are usually cylindrical pits lined with either brick or concrete. Modern cess pits are made from fibre glass, steel or polyethylene.

Current building regulations require cess pits to be able to hold at least 18,000 litres of sewage. It is estimated that each person produces 115 litres of sewage a day. For a family of four this means that the tank will need emptying about once a month.

Septic Tank

A septic tank treats domestic sewage and discharge, either into a watercourse or into the ground. In septic tanks the solids in the sewage settle to the bottom.

Relatively clear liquid is left which forms a layer of scum on its surface. Bacteria feed on this liquid and digest some of the matter in it. The liquid then either passes into another settlement tank before passing to a watercourse or is discharged underground through a network of pipes to filter through the soil.

Septic tanks are capable of treating all of a household's domestic sewage. However, the solids that build up at the bottom of the tank do need to be pumped out about once a year.

If the tank serves only one house, it is their responsibility. Several houses using a tank is normally shared between the owners. Details for rented property should be written in the tenancy agreement.

Too much bleach, detergent and other household chemicals may destroy the useful bacteria used in a septic tank. As a result the sewage will not be treated fully and may cause pollution problems.

Emptying the septic tank regularly will ensure the septic tank keeps working properly. It is an offence to allow a tank to overflow. We can legally ask a tank be repaired or emptied.

If tanks discharge final effluent to a watercourse a Consent for Discharge is needed from the Environment Agency. They set standards for quality of effluent that can be allowed to enter rivers and streams.