downspout into soil stack

[buff]

standing outside a house in chester noticed the rain water downspout ran straight into the soil stack,it was the just above the wc waste outlet
is this legal
bob😕

 

[dontknowitall]

Rain going into soil is fine - it's the other way that's rather iffy.

 

[buff]

Rain going into soil is fine - it's the other way that's rather iffy.

cheers mate,it just looked so wierd
bob

 

[justlead1]

Hi. There are two problems with this practice.
1. Separate systems for soil and rainwater are employed to avoid overloading treatment works during wet weather.
2. The smells associated with soil/sewers will be vented at gutter level, which in most cases is near to opening windows. Which can become a health hazard to whose using the property.

 

[GPSNewcastle]

As far as I am concerned they all end up going the same way under the ground...the only consideration I would make is to the smell venting at the top of the downpipe

 

[Centralheatking]

Some households get a rebate on their water bills if the rain and foul water are kept separate

centralheatking

 

[wheeto]

Current regs don't allow this, at least in my area but if it's already plumbed in then there's no obligation to change (thank goodness!)

 

[kay-jay]

depends how old the house is. a lot of houses used to operate on a combined system of foul and rainwater. the advantages being that the addition of rainwater kept sewer blockages to a minimum, disadvantage being higher costs of water treatment.

KJ