Drainage Services in Chichester

Chichester sits on the coastal plain over chalk and brickearth deposits, and its proximity to the harbour means the water table is close to the surface for much of the year, especially in low-lying areas around Fishbourne and Bosham. The historic city centre inside the Roman walls has combined Victorian clay sewers, and the high groundwater levels here mean these older pipes are frequently under external pressure as well as carrying normal flow, which can accelerate infiltration through aged joints.

Suburban growth through the 20th century towards Tangmere and the city's eastern edges introduced separate clay and later plastic pipework, generally coping well, though flat gradients typical of this low coastal ground mean silt build-up is a more persistent issue here than in hillier areas. On the rural fringes towards Selsey and West Wittering, some older and more isolated properties still use septic tanks or small treatment plants, and the sandy, permeable ground generally supports reasonable percolation, though high water tables near the coast can limit drainage field performance at certain times of year.

In Chichester we begin with a CCTV survey to understand pipe condition against this high water table, since infiltration and blockages often need to be assessed together here. High-pressure jetting clears silt from the city's flatter-gradient pipe runs, and where cameras show cracked or displaced clay we use no-dig lining to restore pipes without disturbing the historic street layout. For septic tank properties near the coast we carry out percolation testing to confirm the drainage field is still functioning.