Brand new legislation for septic tanks in England and Wales came into force on January 1st, which means any household or business that does not comply now risks significant fines from the Environment Agency (EA).
With more than a million UK properties having no option but to use an off-mains drainage system to deal with their sewage waste, this new legislation will have a big impact.
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Are you compliant?
If you are based in England and Wales and have a septic tank that discharges directly to surface water, such as a river, ditch or stream, then you are not compliant with the new legislation. This means you need to urgently replace or upgrade your sewage treatment system or you risk significant fines from the EA.
What is a septic tank and who is responsible for it?
In simple terms, a septic tank is an underground tank where solids sink to the bottom and the liquid flows out and soaks through the ground. In contrast, a sewage treatment plant is a part-mechanical system that treats the liquid so it’s clean enough to go into a river or stream.
You are classed as an operator of any of these if you are the owner of the property using the system, you own a property that shares the system with other properties, or you have a written agreement with the property owner stating you’re responsible for maintenance.
What are the new rules regarding septic tanks?
Here’s a reminder of the rules you should now be abiding by with your septic tank:
- The discharge rate from a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant must be less than 2 cu m/day.
- The sewage must receive treatment from a septic tank and filtration system or a sewage treatment plant.
- The sewage must be domestic — for example, from a toilet, bathroom, shower or kitchen of a house, flat or business (such as a pub, hotel or office).
- The discharge must not cause pollution to surface water or groundwater within 5 m from a boundary, 10 m from a ditch or watercourse, 50 m from a water abstraction point or 15 m from any building or other soakaway network.
- The discharge must not be within a groundwater Source Protection Zone 1 or within 50 m of any well or borehole used to supply water for domestic or food production.
- BS manufacturing standards must be adhered to, and the system must be installed and maintained by a competent person.
The changes introduced in 2015 are statutory general binding rules. Their purpose is to protect human health and the environment, as septic tanks can contaminate groundwater supplies and surface water in lakes, streams and rivers. Such contamination can make supplies unsuitable for drinking and cause environmental, social and economic harm.
For further information, the new regulations can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/permits-you-need-for-septic-tanks.
How can you tell whether your septic tank is polluting a local watercourse?
The first port of call is to look at the drainage plans from when your septic tank was installed — these should detail where your system discharges to.
If you do not have this information, there are ways to check, but as your septic tank is underground, it can be difficult to tell.
The best way to establish whether your septic tank is compliant is to get the help of a local specialist, such as ourselves.
What are the risks of not being compliant?
If you are found to violate the new regulations regarding septic tanks, you could face prosecution and a significant fine from the EA. To find out more about the possible consequences, read our blog.
What are your options?
If these regulations affect your septic tank, you have a few options:
- Connect to the mains sewer – where available
- Install a drainage field (also known as an infiltration system), designed to British Standard BS6297:2007, so the septic tank can discharge to the ground instead.
- Replace your septic tank with a small sewage treatment plant that meets full BS EN 12566-3 Documentation.
How can we help?
Here at Cotterill Civils, we are one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of sewage treatment plants, septic tanks, cesspools and pump stations. We can provide expert advice on the different sewage treatment options available to you, as well as ways to upgrade your system without replacing it.
We can also offer a complete package – we design, supply and install your new sewage treatment system, providing you with peace of mind.
Give us a call on 0121 351 3230 and we’ll be happy to help!
Alternatively, fill out our enquiry form:
