Case Studies

Every year seems to be a busy year at Case Environmental. During 2025, we welcomed the newest member, Nick, to our team and it is giving us a little more time to update our site and continue work behind the scenes.  Below are just a handful of the projects we have been involved with since Nick started with us.

Case Study: Pre-Purchase Water Supply Audit & Risk Mitigation

Client: Residential Home Buyer

Service: Private Water Supply (PWS) Risk Assessment & Strategic Consultancy

The Challenge

During a property transaction, Case Environmental was instructed to audit a complex shared spring supply and private drainage. The septic tank was found to have suffered structural damage and required replacement, however for the purposes of the below, we focus on the spring supply. Our investigation uncovered a perfect storm of liabilities:

• Infrastructure Failure: The system used substandard materials (e.g. rubber hose for sink waste and brown PVC waste pipe) with leaking chambers, vermin access and root intrusion.
• Contamination Risks: Our samples identified faecal indicators in the water which was also found to be corrosive in nature. A credible hydrocarbon risk due to the strategic placement of creosoted poles upstream was also observed among other issues.
• Legal & Regulatory Gaps: The supply lacked a formal Council risk assessment, crossed third-party land without robust easements, and had no failure warning systems.

The Consultancy Role

We acted as the technical intermediary to protect the client’s investment:

• Site Audit: We identified critical failure points and legal responsibilities that had been overlooked for many years.
• Strategic Options Appraisal: We advised the client that the existing spring was beyond viable remediation and recommended a transition to a private borehole.
• Project Specification: We provided the technical specifications required for a compliant borehole and vetted local contractors to ensure the work met British Standards and the borehole was logged as required with the British Geological Society.

The Outcome

Our expert report provided the leverage needed to negotiate the installation of a new borehole prior to completion. The client successfully purchased the property with a validated, secure water source and a clear understanding of their long-term assets.

Case Study: Navigating Environmental Permitting and Regulatory Compliance

Client: Large Commercial Property Owner

Service: Environmental Permitting & Technical Compliance Audit

The Challenge: Regulatory Non-Compliance and inaccessible plant

The client operated a sewage treatment system that was discharging effluent without a required Permit to Discharge. Upon our initial review, it was clear that the system fell outside of the "General Binding Rules" due to:

• High Discharge Volumes: The daily flow exceeded the thresholds for standard exemptions.
• Sensitive Location: The specific environmental circumstances of the discharge point necessitated formal oversight from the regulator.
• Substandard Effluent Quality: The existing treatment process was not consistently meeting the stringent water quality standards required for a formal permit due to complex inputs of the site.

The Consultancy Role: Technical & Administrative Oversight

Case Environmental acted as the expert lead to regularise the site's status:

• Permit Application Management: We managed the complex application process for a bespoke Permit to Discharge, acting as the technical point of contact with the Environment Agency.
• Infrastructure Gap Analysis: We completed a technical audit of the existing sewage treatment plant (STP) to identify whether repair provided the most sustainable solution or whether a replacement process was required.
• Remedial Specification: As a result of failed routine emptying visits and structural damage through improper installation, a replacement treatment process was recommended in a more accessible location. We worked closely with the client to identify a suitable location whilst maintaining some existing infrastructure to utilise the same discharge location.
• Compliance Framework: We provided the client with a long-term maintenance and monitoring schedule to ensure they remain within the legal limits of their new permit.

The Outcome: Legal Security and Environmental Protection

• Permit: The correct permit is sought, removing the risks associated with unauthorised discharge.
• Cost-Effective Upgrades: By specifying renewal of the sewage treatment plant, we ensured the client avoided costly future issues. Should the plant have completely failed, round-the-clock emptying would have been required.  However due to its location, this would not have been possible during wet periods, leaving the client with a potentially sticky situation.
• Environmental Stewardship: The upgraded system now provides a high level of mitigation against sub standard effluent discharging to local watercourses, ensuring the client's operations are sustainable and responsible.

Permitting is often a daunting 'black box' for property owners. We provide the technical clarity needed to satisfy the Environment Agency while ensuring that the physical assets on-site are optimised for performance, not just paperwork.

Case Study: Specialist Percolation Oversight for Large-Scale Estate Management

Client: Large UK Landowner

Service: Specialist Percolation Testing, Seasonal Drainage Strategy & Technical Oversight at multiple locations

The Challenge: Complex Soil Dynamics at Scale

Managing drainage across a vast and diverse land portfolio presents unique geographical and technical hurdles. Case Environmental was engaged to provide clarity on sites where standard testing often fails to capture the full picture:

• Complex Locations: Sites characterised by varied topography, sensitive ecosystems, and challenging soil profiles that do not conform to standard textbook drainage behaviour.
• Seasonal Variability: Designing systems for complex seasonal use, where discharge volumes fluctuate significantly between peak and off-peak periods, requiring a system that remains compliant year-round.
• High Stakes: Given the client's profile, every solution is bespoke and requires 100% regulatory certainty and long-term environmental sustainability to protect the estate’s reputation and natural capital.

The Consultancy Role: Beyond Standard Testing

We provide a layer of expert oversight that ensures infrastructure is built on a foundation of accurate data, not assumptions:

• Bespoke Testing Protocols: When needed, we move beyond basic pit tests to provide comprehensive percolation analysis tailored to the specific geology and seasonal demands of the estate's various sites.
• Technical Oversight: We provide independent validation of testing carried out on-site, ensuring that methodology strictly adheres to BS 6297 and the Environment Agency’s General Binding Rules or Environmental Permitting Rules.
• Strategic Design Advice: Based on our findings, we advise on the suitability of various discharge methods, such as drainage fields, deep pit soakaways, drainage mounds, discharge to watercourse or connection to mains sewer via various options.

The Outcome: Validated Infrastructure & Risk Mitigation

• Informed Decision Making: Our reports provide the client with the scientific evidence needed to approve or modify development plans across their estates.
• Regulatory Assurance: By overseeing the start of the testing process and providing supporting documents, we ensure that all drainage designs would meet the stringent requirements of local authorities and environmental regulators.

When dealing with the UK's most significant land assets, 'standard' is rarely enough. We provide the oversight necessary to ensure that drainage systems are not only compliant on paper but resilient in the face of complex soil conditions and seasonal pressures.

Case Study: Water Main Condition Assessment & Strategic Investment Planning

Client: Estate

Service: Infrastructure Consultancy, RAMS Oversight & Strategic Water Main Analysis

The Challenge: Ageing Infrastructure & Liability Risk

The Regulation 8 privately distributed supply of mains water within a large manor estate was faced with ageing water infrastructure of unknown internal condition.

Initially, water samples were collected for interest, but quickly identified the presence of faecal indicators (coliform and E.coli) and elevated TVCs. The local environmental health team were made aware of the concern and residents were provided an alternative water supply and boil water advice by the estate. The storage reservoir onsite was internally inspected and immediately planned for by-pass due to poor internal condition and presence of multiple areas of ingress.

Efforts were made to restore wholesomeness of the supply, by replacing the storage reservoir  with smaller, compliant, modern tanks which improved turn over and eliminated ingress. The new tanks and downstream main were chlorinated to eliminate the presence of harmful pathogens, however no free-chlorine residual was measurable at the extremity of the network.

Despite extensive flushing and repeat chlorination, additional sample analysis identified the persistence of elevated TVC’s, though faecal indicators had been eliminated.  UV disinfection was added to the main prior to points of use, meaning the boil water advice could be lifted.

As a Regulation 8 Private Water Supply, it is expected the water received from the local water company should be maintained in a wholesome condition whilst it is distributed through the private network. The estate needed a clear strategy to address potential leaks and wholesomeness concerns. The core challenge was to determine whether the existing main could be rehabilitated or if a full replacement, and a transfer of responsibility was the more viable path.

The Consultancy Role: Technical Oversight & Compliance

Case Environmental provided the technical bridge between the estate and the contractors to ensure a safe, data-driven assessment:

• Safety & Compliance (RAMS): We provided comprehensive Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) guidance. Our oversight ensured all contractor activities were strictly in accordance with PoWSH (Principles of Water Supply Hygiene), protecting the integrity of the water supply throughout the physical works.
• Investigation: We oversaw the safe excavation of multiple test locations across the estate. This involved the precision cutting of representative sections of the main to perform an internal condition assessment, identifying levels of corrosion, biofilm growth, and structural degradation.
• Strategic Investment Advice: Based on the evidence gathered, we provided a feasibility report on the options available and identified that the condition of the main justified a formal mains requisition program. 

Watch this space for further incoming updates on other exiting projects!