Your drainage is important, and foul water drainage is an integral part of the overall system for both homeowners and businesses here in the UK. It is the type of drainage that you rely on daily to keep your property running hygienically, but one you perhaps have taken for granted in the past.

Understanding what foul water drainage is and how it fits into your overall drainage picture is crucial if you want to prevent damage to your property. It’s also a good idea to be familiar with the topic if you want to maintain a healthy environment, which is why this month at Express Drainage Surveys, we’re going to be taking a closer look at the topic.

We’re going to cover how foul water drainage differs from surface water, why it’s so important, how it works, common issues and how to maintain this part of your system. But first, let’s take a closer look at what foul water drainage is.

What is foul water drainage?

Foul water is one of two water types that runs into the surrounding drainage system of a property. The contents of foul water drainage should be fairly obvious – it’s water from your sinks, toilets, showers, dishwashers and even your washing machines. 

The ‘foul’ part of the name comes from the fact that it is water that likely contains some form of pollutant such as chemicals and waste.

This dirty water, sometimes referred to as grey water, has to be diverted away from your property somehow. That’s what the foul water system is for, removing contaminated water in an efficient and hygienic way.

Sometimes, people assume that water from gutters and the water that originates from inside your property are handled in the same way by the drainage system, but that’s not quite true. 

This leads us to our next section where we highlight some of the differences in water drained from your property.

Why is foul water different from surface water?

Surface water is all of the additional water – usually rain or melting snow – that collects on your property. This is often channelled by your guttering and is diverted to natural watercourses, such as rivers, streams and even the ocean. 

In some of the UK’s more rural areas, rainwater like this can often be left to drain organically into the ground around a property due to the sheer expanse of space available. But this isn’t possible in more densely populated urban areas.

The key difference between foul water and surface water, however, is that rainwater doesn’t need to be cleaned and processed in the same way that foul water does. Therefore, it stands to reason that the two channels of water should be kept separate rather than being combined.

The other, more obvious difference between the two is the name. While that point might seem simple, it can save you a lot of time when speaking to a drainage professional if you’re able to identify whether you have an issue with a foul water or surface water drain.

What colour are foul water drains?

One more key difference between foul water drains and surface water drains is the colour of the pipe. Here in the UK, most foul water drain pipes are a brown or terracotta colour, while surface water drains are often grey or blue.

This difference in colour helps to establish which pipes do which jobs whenever there is maintenance or construction work being carried out. Keeping the two separate helps to avoid contaminating local watercourses. We’ll talk more about the risk of misconnections later in this article – an issue the colour-coding of pipes looks to help avoid.

Why is foul water drainage important?

Foul water drainage serves a number of important functions, including:

• It maintains a healthy environment. Without the ability to easily wash away foul water, it would linger around your property – inside and out – to create spaces where disease and bacteria can quickly spread.
  
• It prevents property damage. Water of any kind, let alone dirty water, can cause property damage if left to sit and soak into your structure.
  
• It prevents pollution issues. Before foul water drainage, if people wanted to dispose of dirty water, they’d be tempted to use local watercourses, which is a form of pollution.
  
• It’s part of Building Regulations. Foul water drainage is covered by Part H in the government’s regulations. This covers the way the foul water you discharge is dealt with.

How does foul water drainage work?

Your foul water drainage system works by connecting sinks and toilets within your home to the main public sewer. From here, it is channelled towards a sewer treatment plant where it can be processed safely.

There are several components that make up your foul water system. The first, as we’ve mentioned, is the sink or toilet within your home. This typically connects to pipework outside of the property and with the underground pipe network running away from your property towards the boundary.

Most people will have noticed a manhole on their property, and this is a key point that drainage professionals will use to access your system. Removing a manhole cover can be tricky, as they are heavy, so we recommend leaving this to the experts to avoid injury.

Common foul water drainage issues

There are three common foul water drainage issues to be aware of for both homeowners and business owners:

• Blockages: Any blockage within your foul water drains can spell serious trouble, as it will then back up unsanitary water and waste into your property or out onto your property. – Avoid putting grease, oil and foreign objects down your drains to help prevent blockages.
  
• Misconnections: This is when the wrong pipework is connected and wastewater flows into surface water drains. This can happen when any construction or excavation work happens and the pipes are misconnected in error. – A misconnection could result in environmental fines if not rectified quickly.
  
• Structural damage: As well as haphazard construction work, damage to your drains can be caused by tree roots and the movement of soil around your pipework. It could also be that the pipes in your system are very old and susceptible to damage. – Drain excavation or repairs are usually required to stop the issue from becoming worse.

How to prevent foul water drainage issues

Due to the hazardous and unhygienic nature of the water going through your foul water drainage system, you’ll want to keep it in top condition to allow it to flow freely. With this in mind, it is recommended that you have regular, routine drain maintenance carried out by drainage professionals.

With regular cleaning and inspections, you’ll know that your drains are performing as they should, with any potential issues spotted nice and early to prevent a disaster. While there are cleaning agents available to you, it’s never recommended that you handle or apply chemicals to your drains without first fully understanding them for your safety.

If you already suspect that there might be an issue with your foul water drains, it would be wise to invest in a CCTV drainage survey to assess the overall health of your drains. This service can also pinpoint any areas of concern and locate blockages accurately. At Express Drainage Surveys, we offer:

• Domestic CCTV drainage surveys: for homeowners
• Commercial CCTV drain surveys: for businesses
  

Knowing when you need to seek professional help is something we’ll cover in our next section.

When to get professional help from Express Drainage Surveys

Seeking the help of professionals when it comes to drains and the multitude of issues they can throw up can save you both time and money. At Express Drainage Surveys, we have years of experience in providing CCTV drain surveys to help people manage their foul water drainage systems in the UK. We have fully trained engineers, equipped with the latest technology to carry out a thorough assessment of the condition of your drains.

You should always look to have annual maintenance carried out on your drains no matter what type of property you own. However, you’ll very quickly know that you need the help of the experts if you start to notice bad smells emanating from your drains internally or externally. Another sign that you need professional help is when foul water begins to back up into your property via sinks and toilets, creating a health hazard.

As well as our survey services, we also offer a variety of other drainage services for your convenience. This includes:

• Homebuyers drain surveys: Ideal for establishing whether foul water drainage is in good condition for a property you wish to buy. You can use any issues to potentially negotiate on price!
• Party wall drain surveys:  Helping to identify any potential drainage issues between properties and avoiding disputes.

Whether you’re a homeowner or a business owner, we can help you manage and maintain foul water drains on your property. Simply contact us today for a quick response and professional service. We’re always here to help you get to the bottom of drainage issues with a swift resolution.