Guidance, regulations and standards
In this section, you can access helpful resources for our building and developing services, including information on specific planning topics and local areas.
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Build out form
Once the Local Planning Authority has approved planning, you’ll need to complete a build‑out form if capacity has been raised as an issue, so we can assess the impact on our network.
Water regulations
Find out more about the Water Supply Regulations 1999. They set out how plumbing systems, water fittings and water‑using appliances should be designed, installed and maintained in England and Wales.
Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) valves
Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) valves help prevent backflow and protect the mains water supply from contamination. Find out what to do if you need one installed.
Plumbing systems
Understand the requirements for installing a new, compliant plumbing system under the current Water Regulations. This includes the right fittings, good system design and measures to prevent backflow.
Local Planning Authorities
If you're part of a Local Planning Authority (LPA), our briefing note explains how we respond to planning consultations and how this links to our responsibilities.
Health and safety
Learn more about the risks that building or development work can create, and the measures we’ll need you to take to help prevent problems.
Planning topics
You can find our statements about specific planning topics and geographical areas of our network below.
To prevent environmental harm and safeguard the special water environment in Chichester Harbour, we have worked with the Environment Agency to provide a joint position statement on managing new development in the Apuldram catchment. We prepared this statement with the involvement of the Chichester Water Quality Group.
We assess planning policy consultations, including Local Plans, by taking into account our guiding principles. These are in line with the National Planning Policy Framework. You can find out more by reading our Local Plans Guiding Principles.
Natural England has issued guidance on achieving nutrient-neutral development in the Stour region. This is to reduce the impact of additional nutrients arising from new homes. Find out more about nutrient removal in our Stodmarsh FAQs.
In the Sussex North water resource zone we have identified a risk to optimising the operation of our existing groundwater abstraction at Hardham. This risk comes from the uncertainty about how much additional supply would be delivered given the environmental impact on groundwater abstraction.
To help understand this uncertainty and what it means for new developments, we have prepared a position statement for the Sussex North Water Supply Zone.
Due to the potential odour nuisance from Waste Water Treatment Works, no sensitive development should be located within the 1.5 OdU odour contour of the WWTW.
Developers will need to employ a specialist consultant to carry out an Odour Assessment. This assessment will need to be to a specification that has been agreed in advance with ourselves to identify the 1.5 OdU contour. To discuss and agree on the Scope of the odour assessment please contact us.
You can also find details of our odour assessment charges here.
If you're building within a source protection zone, you’ll need to ensure you protect the public underground water supply sources. You can do this by contacting the Environment Agency and ourselves to discuss your proposals.
Get in touch
If you need help choosing which application to make, filling it out, or have any other questions, our team are happy to help.
