The Search Reports

The Water Companies of England and Wales produce the official CON29DW Drainage & Water Enquiry for residential properties and the CommercialDW Drainage & Water Enquiry for commercial properties. Both reports are standardised across England and Wales and offer a minimum of 22 questions and answers on the water and sewerage services to a property.

Both reports include:

• Accurate and up-to-date information
• High standards of consumer protection
• Fast and efficient turnaround
• Reliable data from the official source

Download the sample reports

Please download the CON29DW sample report (1.2mb) or download the CommercialDW report for your reference. Terms and conditions are also available.

1. CON29DW has changed

What’s different about the new CON29DW?

More information is now included in CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry.In 2007, a working group consisting of the Consumer Council for Water(CCWater), Communities and Local Government(CLG) and the Law Society was set up to compile these additions and amendments. As a result, searches now consist of 23 questions and answers. The main purpose is to increase the amount of information available to homebuyers, and improve consumer protection.

The first two sections of the new search report provide information including who prepared the report, which records were searched, and who is liable for negligence. The main body of the report provides a mixture of existing and enhanced information. The additional elements cover the following:

The risk of overloaded public sewers flooding properties

This section of the search informs homebuyers whether a property is at risk from internal flooding. Where there is a risk, bespoke information is included, detailing proposed actions to reduce or remove the risk.

Risk of low water pressure or flow

Each water company is responsible for providing water at a pressure that will allow it to reach the top storey of every building in their area (subject to certain recognised exceptions). The CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry reveals whether a property is at risk of having problems receiving the correct pressure. For properties with a risk of low water pressure, bespoke information is included, detailing proposed actions to reduce or remove the risk.

Location of the nearest public sewage treatment works

This section of the search reveals the distance and direction to the nearest sewage treatment works from the property. This information is important to homebuyers because sewage works emit odorous gases (including methane, hydrogen sulphide, sulphur and ammonia), and close proximity can also cause problems with flies and other insects.

The basis of charging information and location of water meters

This section of the CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry confirms whether a property is charged on a measured or unmeasured basis, and whether this will remain the same following the change of occupancy. The search will also show the location of the property’s water meter if it has one.

Water quality analysis

The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations of England and Wales impose a range of standards that ensure water is both safe to drink and aesthetically acceptable. These regulations also require that drinking water doesn’t contain any element, organism or substance at a concentration that could be detrimental to public health. The CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry confirms whether the water quality in a certain area(water quality zone) complies in 100% of all tests or at a lower level of compliance with these regulations. Homebuyers will therefore be informed of the water quality in the zone of their chosen property. Please note: the answer to this question is not property specific.

Water mains adoption agreements

The majority of mains are still laid by water companies, however the Water Act 2003 introduced the option of self-lay, where developers could lay water pipes before handing them over to water companies. As a result, adoption agreements were introduced for water supply pipes with a similar adoption process to sewers. This part of the search is important to homebuyers of new properties so they can check whether a water company controls the mains serving the property.

The CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry

The search must include answers to all of the following questions (the additional questions are highlighted in bold):

2. CommercialDW Drainage and Water Enquiry

In Spring 2010, the Water Companies of England and Wales will launch the standardised CommercialDW Drainage & Water Enquiry. This report offers a minimum of 22 questions and answers, presented in a logical and consistent order and with the option of including trade effluent information. These 22 questions are the same as in the CON29DW search, ensuring the CommercialDW Drainage & Water Enquiry is consistent across each region or water company and bringing it up to similar standards as the CON29DW.

The CommercialDW Drainage & Water Enquiry

The search must include answers to all of the following questions (the additional questions are highlighted in bold):

Question Answer

Maps
1. Where relevant, please include a copy of an extract from the public sewer map.
2. Where relevant, please include a copy of an extract from the map of waterworks.
   
   Drainage
3. Does foul water from the property drain to a public sewer?
4. Does surface water from the property drain to a public sewer?
5. Is a surface water drainage charge payable?
6. Does the public sewer map indicate any public sewer, disposal main or lateral drain within the boundaries of the property?
7. Does the public sewer map indicate any public foul sewer within 30.48 metres(100 feet) of any buildings within the property?
8. Are any sewers or lateral drains serving, or which are proposed to serve the property, the subject off an existing adoption agreement or an application for such an agreement?
9. Has a Sewerage Undertaker approved or been consulted about any plans to erect a building or extension on the property over or in the vivinity of a public sewer, disposal main or drain?
10. Is the building which is or forms part of the property at risk of internal flooding due to overloaded public sewers?
11. Please state the distance from the property to the nearest boundary of the nearest sewage treatment works.
    
    Water
12. Is the property connected to mains water supply?
13. Are there any water mains, resource mains or discharge pipes within the boundariesof the property
14. Is any water main or service pipe serving, or which is proposed to serve the property, the subject of an existing adoption agreement or an application for such an agreement?
15. Is the property at risk of receiving low water pressure or flow?
16. Please include details of a water quality analysis made by the Water Undertaker for the water supply zone in respect of the most recent calendar year.
17. Please include details of any departures, authorised by the Secretary of State under Part 6 of the 2000 Regulations from the provisions of Part 3 of those Regulations; or authorised by the Welsh Ministers under Part 6 of the 2001 Regulations, from the provisions of Part 3 of those Regulations.
18. Please include details of the location of any water meter serving the property.
    
    Charging
19. Who are the Sewerage and Water Undertakers for the area?
20. Who bills the property for sewerage services?
21. Who bills the property for water services?
22. What is the current basis for charging for sewerage and water services at the property?
    
    Additional
23. Is there a Consent to Discharge Trade Effluent under S118 of the Water Industry Act, 1991 into the public sewer?

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