Neighbour's waste water discharging directly onto the ground

[lauraclaridge]

The neighbouring block of flats to me has a waste water pipe that sticks directly out of the building and is not connected to a down pipe which means whenever they have a bath or shower the water flows onto the ground below making a very irritating noise for up to 30 minutes numerous times of the day and night.

I reported it as a nuisance to the council who suggested I speak to my neighbours, but unfortunately, the block is rented out like an AirBnB so there is nobody there that I can speak to about it.

I want to go back to the council but not sure how to go about it. Surely it can't be legal not to have the pipe connected to take the waste water away to the sewer? Is this something for environmental health or building regulations or elsewhere?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Contact the council environmental health department and let them know that you have had no luck with the owner and it’s a hygiene issue.

Try section 59 building act https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/55/section/59#:~:text=they%20shall%20by%20notice%20require,%2C%20sewer%2C%20drain%2C%20pipe%2C. Drainage provision not satisfactory. Either building control or Env Health may be able to enforce, depending on your local council

otherwise could try statutory noise nuisance which would be environmental health, but would suggest it should be dealt with as a drainage problem not a noise issue.

you could do a land registry search to identify owners.

Thank you both. I initially reported it as a noise issue which is when I got fobbed off.

Its a building control issue. Has the building recently had work done or been converted? Failure to make proper drainage provisions is in contravention of Water Regulations and therefore would not have been signed off by building control.

I'd contact that team at the local authority in the first instance and also your sewerage provider (usually same as water company but sometimes two different ones. You will know from your own bills.)

Are you sure it's waste water and not an overflow pipe?

I feel that the way water pours out for anything from 10 minutes to half an hour at various times of the day (and on the occasional day not at all) coincides with someone having a shower.

How would I be able to tell the difference?

I'm not sure but an overflow pipe is usually quite high up and narrower than a waste pipe. It means something is wrong with the plumbing inside (a cistern?) and needs fixing.

I found this information: An overflow pipe is an extension from a storage tank or cistern that stops the water from overflowing. These are necessary to prevent flooding and to carry water safely away from your home.

If I were you I'd report it as waste water anyway as that will probably get someone out more quickly if its an environmental health issue. If it turns out to be an overflow pipe its the property owner's problem.

The pipe

Definitely an overflow pipe. I have had problems with these before. They are there to prevent flooding in the house but shouldn't do it all the time. Discharging waste water on to the ground would be illegal I think but that's not what this is.

I'm sorry I can't be any help with what to do about it in someone else's house.

Ring your local councillor after you've videoed an outpouring.

I agree - it's an overflow pipe, so clean water from a tank.
Not sure the Council can do much - you need to contact the owner.

Thank you. Is there any reason why it would be pouring out water for up to half an hour at a time several times a day?

I googled it and got this AI overview:

There are several reasons why an overflow pipe might be pouring out water, including issues with water pressure, valves, and other components:
Water pressure
If the water pressure is too high, it can cause leaks or loosen the water valve.
Valves
A loose drain valve on a water heater can cause a leak. You can try tightening it with a pipe wrench, but be careful not to over-tighten it. A faulty ball valve can also cause a boiler to overflow.
Other components
A faulty float valve, broken coil, or deteriorated washer can also cause an overflow pipe to leak. If hot water is coming from the overflow pipe, it could be due to an issue with the boiler or water heater. Rust, sediment, and corrosion can damage the bottom of a water heater tank and cause a leak. A faulty heat exchanger or internal leak in a boiler can also cause it to drip.

We had an issue with a valve on our water tank which made our overflow pipe pour like the photo you posted @lauraclaridge

Its the overflow, most likely toilet cistern. Its when the loo is flushed and the cistern refills but doesn't shut off when it is filled so the water keeps coming and foes to the overflow. They need a new siphon in the cistern.