How do we connect our French holiday home to public drainage?

Speaking to the local mairie in order to obtain authorisation is the first step and they might also be able to recommend a firm to carry out the work

It is necessary to budget for the costs of the work on your property, which are typically around €200 per metre between your house and the public highway
Liv Rowland
Published Last updated

Reader question: Our fosse septique (septic tank) works poorly. How do we connect to the mains drainage, which is situated just outside the boundary of our holiday home? Are there any authorisations and costs involved?

Assuming the job is not impossible for technical reasons, such as being too far from the mains system – which sounds not to be the case here – you should speak to your mairie in the first instance.

It is necessary to obtain authorisation from it for the work, known as raccordement au système d’assainissement collectif or ‘tout à l’égout’.

The mairie might also be able to advise on a firm to carry out the work and, in some cases, mairies will insist on you using a particular firm.

Usually, the mairie funds the work that is necessary on sections located on the public highway, though it may charge a tax towards this, called taxe de raccordement, which can be around €500-1,000.

You have to budget for the costs of the work on your property, which are typically around €200 per metre between your house and the public highway.

You will also have to pay to have your septic tank closed down, emptied and disinfected, at around €500.

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