Development enquiries process

Step 1: Before you apply

There's some key things you need to know before you’re ready to apply for a new water mains and waste connection.

A developer enquiry is used to find out if our existing network can supply your proposed development with water and take away your proposed sewerage flows. It'll also confirm if your development will affect existing Severn Trent assets.

This process should be used for larger development sites prior to full planning permission being granted or for large commercial properties that will have a high water usage.

Step 2: Apply

When you're ready, you'll need to complete a developer enquiry application form and send it to us along with the following supporting information:

  • Water supply only enquiry 
  • Sewerage only enquiry 
  • Combined water and sewerage enquiry 
  • Water supply only enquiry 
  • Sewerage only enquiry 
  • Combined water and sewerage enquiry

You can view the charges for the above applications on our charges page. Once we've received your application we will confirm receipt and provide you a reference number. This will then be assigned to a member of our design team who will be your point of contact during the design stage.

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Step 3: Water response

What will it include?

The more information you can provide us with at this stage regarding the development type and the water usage/sewerage flows the more detailed and tailored our response can be. Our standard response for water enquires will include:

  • A copy of our Water records for the area;
  • Confirmation of any apparatus we have that will be affected by the proposals;
  • Information about our ability to provide water for your development and how it should be supplied;
  • Where appropriate details of any offsite work needed to reinforce our network to supply the development;
  • Estimated Costs associated for the water mains or service connections proposed to serve the site.

The application charges cover the work we need to respond to a normal enquiry. If the flow requirements are such that more extensive modeling/evaluation is required for an optimal solution to be determined an additional payment will be required. If this is the case, we will let you know in our enquiry response.

Step 4: Sewerage response

What will it include?

The more information you can provide us with at this stage regarding the development type and the water usage/sewerage flows the more detailed and tailored our response can be. Our response for drainage enquiries will include:

  • A copy of our sewer records for the area;
  • Confirmation of any apparatus we have that will be affected by the proposals;
  • Information about our ability to drain the site, including restrictions on discharge rates;
  • Where appropriate details of any offsite work needed to connect the site;
  • Detail of any further work we need to provide an optimal solution to connect the site to our networks.

The application charges cover the work we need to respond to a normal enquiry. If the flow requirements are such that more extensive modelling/evaluation is required for an optimal solution to be determined, an additional payment will be required. If this is the case, we will let you know in our enquiry response.

Step 5: Follow up work

After the developer enquiry is complete if your development is going ahead you will then need to complete the relevant application to progress to getting water on site or sewers approved. Any previous developer enquiry reference number should be provided as this will assist us to progress your application and enable us to see what has previously been assessed.