As of January 2015, you, as a homeowner, are now responsible for your choice, installation and maintenance of your wastewater system under a new code of practice introduced by the Environment Agency. You have a legal responsibility to minimise the impact of your sewage waste if you manage it within the bounds of your property e.g. with a septic tank or sewage treatment plant.
How to follow the rules and protect your local environment
- We strongly advise you always get expert, specialist advice when it comes to sewage waste treatment; the effluent has the potential to be both a serious health hazard and pollute the local environment if it is not properly managed. You are also at risk of prosecution if the regulations are not upheld.
- Although you no longer need to register a small domestic tank or keep five year maintenance records, your septic tank or sewage treatment plant must still be fit for purpose, comply with industry standard EN 12566, and be properly sized, installed, and maintained by an authorised person [ie. a professionally qualified installer].
- You are limited to discharging a maximum of 2,000 litres of treated sewage per day into the ground or 5,000 litres of treated sewage per day to flowing water. If you discharge more you will need a permit.
- Never neglect your wastewater system; out of sight is not out of mind! Like boilers and cars, septic tanks and sewage treatment plants need to be regularly serviced to operate efficiently.
- If you have a septic tank that discharges directly to a surface water you will need to replace or upgrade your treatment system by 1 January 2020, or when you sell your property if before this date.
How to follow the rules and protect your local environment
- We strongly advise you always get expert, specialist advice when it comes to sewage waste treatment; the effluent has the potential to be both a serious health hazard and pollute the local environment if it is not properly managed. You are also at risk of prosecution if the regulations are not upheld.
- Although you no longer need to register a small domestic tank or keep five year maintenance records, your septic tank or sewage treatment plant must still be fit for purpose, comply with industry standard EN 12566, and be properly sized, installed, and maintained by an authorised person [ie. a professionally qualified installer].
- You are limited to discharging a maximum of 2,000 litres of treated sewage per day into the ground or 5,000 litres of treated sewage per day to flowing water. If you discharge more you will need a permit.
- Never neglect your wastewater system; out of sight is not out of mind! Like boilers and cars, septic tanks and sewage treatment plants need to be regularly serviced to operate efficiently.
- If you have a septic tank that discharges directly to a surface water you will need to replace or upgrade your treatment system by 1 January 2020, or when you sell your property if before this date.
Trust the experts
It is now more important than ever to take care when it comes to your choice of tank. At Septic Tank Supplies we can offer the following;
- initial consultation/assessment of needs
- premium products
- free site inspection
- installation by our professional accredited installers
- reliable and cost effective
- after-sales service
Despite their high efficiency rating, treatment plants don’t cost significantly more to buy and install than a septic tank and require a smaller drainage field while maintenance and running costs are relatively low. However minor the impact on the environment, any serious problem caused by a failed septic tank or sewage treatment plant can have a major impact on the finances of the system’s owner.
Septic tanks and sewage treatment plants should never be considered a fit and forget solution – regulations require that they are maintained and emptied regularly, so it is important to trust professional service team to look after your wastewater system.
