-
Saddle connection (Y-junction)
— Branch fitting allowing a new pipe connection to an existing main drain run.
-
Safety winch (manhole)
— Mechanical winch used for controlled descent and rescue in chambers.
-
Salt-glazed clay pipe
— Older vitrified clay pipe with a glossy salt-glaze finish, found in Victorian London.
-
Same-day drainage callout
— Drainage attendance on the same day of booking for urgent but non-emergency issues.
-
Saniflo overflow
— Overflow of waste from a Saniflo macerator unit due to blockage or pump failure.
-
Sanitary product blockage
— Drain blockage caused by sanitary towels, tampons or applicators flushed down a toilet.
-
School drainage emergency (term-time)
— Drainage emergency at school during term time, requiring rapid response to maintain attendance.
-
School kitchen
— Catering kitchen serving pupils, with term-time peak loads and grease management.
-
Section 104 agreement (s.104)
— Agreement under the Water Industry Act 1991 for new sewers to be adopted by the water company.
-
Section 106 agreement (s.106)
— Application under the Water Industry Act 1991 to connect a private drain to a public sewer.
-
Section 50 licence (highway)
— Highways Act 1980 licence permitting works to be carried out in a public highway.
-
Section 60 notice
— Control of Pollution Act 1974 notice limiting noise and working hours on construction sites.
-
Sectional cable machine
— Drain cleaning machine using detachable cable sections coupled together.
-
Self-build property
— Property built by or for the owner, with custom drainage design and individual approvals.
-
Self-sealing waste valve
— Membrane valve replacing a traditional trap by sealing automatically after each discharge.
-
Semi-detached house
— Pair of houses sharing one party wall, often with shared drainage runs at the rear.
-
Septic tank
— Underground tank that partially treats sewage where no public sewer connection is available.
-
Septic tank backup
— Sewage backing up from a septic tank due to a full chamber or failed soakaway drainage field.
-
Septic tank emergency overflow
— Urgent response to septic tank overflowing due to blockage, capacity or pump failure.
-
Septic tank emptying
— Pumping out of sludge and scum from a septic tank by vacuum tanker.
-
Septic tank replacement
— Removal of an old septic tank and installation of a compliant new tank or treatment plant.
-
Service condition grade (SCRIM)
— WRc grade reflecting how a defect affects ongoing service and operation of a drain.
-
Service valve
— Small isolation valve fitted close to an appliance for safe maintenance without draining down.
-
Sewage clean-up service
— Specialist cleaning of sewage-contaminated areas, including biocide treatment and waste disposal.
-
Sewage decontamination
— Sterilising treatment of sewage-affected areas to eliminate pathogens and odour.
-
Sewage ejector
— Pressurised system using compressed air to lift sewage from below the gravity sewer level.
-
Sewage flooding response
— Emergency response to raw sewage flooding inside or outside property, with decontamination.
-
Sewage tanker emergency callout
— Emergency vacuum tanker attendance to empty overflowing tanks or pumped systems.
-
Sewer (main)
— Large underground pipe carrying combined or separated wastewater from many properties to treatment.
-
Sewer adoption procedure
— Process by which new private sewers are vested in the local sewerage undertaker.
-
Sewer dilapidation report
— Pre-purchase CCTV survey report assessing the condition of private drains and sewers.
-
Sewer overflow response
— Emergency response to overflowing sewers and manholes, often during heavy rainfall events.
-
Sewer record office
— Office or service holding the public sewer records for a local authority area.
-
Sewer smell (hydrogen sulphide)
— Rotten egg odour from drains caused by hydrogen sulphide gas produced by septic conditions.
-
Sewerage Act 1937
— Historic UK legislation that established many of the duties later codified in the Water Industry Act.
-
Shared ownership property
— Property part-owned and part-rented, with mixed responsibility for drainage repairs.
-
Sharp sand (drainage)
— Coarse angular sand used for pipe bedding, manhole haunching and surface water drainage.
-
Shower screen
— Glass or plastic panel beside a bath or shower tray that prevents water splashing into the room.
-
Shower tray
— Shallow base of a shower enclosure collecting water and directing it to a central waste.
-
Shower waste
— Waste fitting in the base of a shower tray connecting to the trap and waste pipe.
-
Slip lining
— Inserting a smaller diameter pipe inside an existing damaged drain.
-
Sliplining (HDPE)
— Trenchless renewal method inserting a smaller HDPE pipe inside an existing damaged pipe.
-
Slop hopper
— Heavy duty sanitary fitting used in hospitals and care homes for disposing of soiled liquids.
-
Slow bend (45 degree, 90 degree)
— Long radius pipe bend allowing flows to change direction without significant turbulence.
-
Slow draining bath
— Bath that empties slowly due to hair and soap residue blocking the waste outlet.
-
Slow draining sink
— Sink that empties more slowly than usual due to partial blockage in the waste pipe.
-
Slow draining toilet
— Toilet that flushes weakly or refills the pan slowly due to partial drain restriction.
-
Smoke generator (drain)
— Device that pushes coloured smoke through drains to identify cross-connections and leaks.
-
Smoke test (drain integrity)
— Test forcing harmless smoke into drains to reveal hidden leaks, misconnections and vents.
-
Soakaway
— Underground pit or crate system allowing surface water to soak slowly into the ground.
