Most businesses are aware of their environmental responsibilities, including sustainable sourcing and carbon footprint reduction, as well as keeping up with the latest regulations and guidelines.
As part of this effort, the proper management of drainage and wastewater is a key consideration in minimising environmental impact, yet it gets overlooked: a classic case of out of sight and out of mind.
Yet the risks of getting it wrong should not be taken lightly: poor housekeeping and maintenance can result in serious flooding and/or pollution incidents, with the inevitable legal and financial penalties that follow. So, it is vital that commercial users understand their legal and ethical responsibilities when it comes to managing drains and sewer assets, and ensure they take all the necessary steps to stay ahead of any problems.
One of the most common problems facing business owners is that responsibility for responding to drainage and wastewater issues will vary depending where the problem arises.
That means it is important commercial operators are aware where their drainage liability begins and ends:
If your business has a drainage-related problem, the first priority is to locate the source of the issue and determine whether the blockage or leak falls under your jurisdiction. If this is not clear, it is worth contacting your water and sewerage company or the local environmental health department to help you identify where the problem is located.
The responsible party will need to take action as follows:
Efficient handling of problems with pipes and drains should be considered a top priority for any business: failure to do so can result in key facilities breaking down, flooding, pollution incidents or sewage spills. Not only can damage be expensive to repair, it could disrupt your own operation, ultimately affecting your bottomline.
There is a risk too, that you could accrue regulatory penalties if authorities consider that you are not following established guidelines for wastewater disposal. When discharging trade effluent into a public sewer, for example, the Water Industry Act of 1991 dictates that a licence is required. Be aware that water and sewerage companies and environmental authorities will take action when wrongdoing is identified.
In Staffordshire, one company was charged £33,000 for polluting a watercourse with clay after exceeding its discharge consent limit, while a food manufacturer in Worcestershire was fined £12,000 for making illegal discharges into Severn Trent Water’s sewer network and ordered to pay costs of over £30,000. In just one six-month period, the same authority brought successful prosecutions against seven different firms in the Midlands for illegal discharges into the sewer network.
Fortunately, keeping on top of wastewater disposal responsibilities and preventing drainage issues from getting out of hand is not difficult. Just consider the following basic guidelines:
If you need to know more about drainage and your responsibilities, call Lanes on 0808 167 6209, or fill in our enquiry form. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.