Your Septic Tank is Your Responsibility;

Monday, 16 October, 2023 | Gerry Rowe

You are now called the operator

Septic tank responsibility as the operator. Maintenance and installations by ASL Limited — Septic tank responsibility is yours as the operator

For peace of mind, Let ASL Limited be your operator

The quality and hygienic impact of your waste disposal on the environment at this moment, unless you've made alternative arrangements, is completely your responsibility. Any pollution caused by your septic tank draining into a freshwater source, such as a river or stream, you could be liable. You are also responsible for ensuring:

your septic tank is properly maintained.
your drainage system inspection chambers lids, including septic tank access lids, are secure and in good working order (no ingress of surface water)

See our blog on rainwater or Surface water entering a sewage system, directly or indirectly.

any drains leading to and from the septic tank. The soakaways are free-flowing and free from blockages.
if your septic tank is not regularly maintained in the proper way, it may fail and cause foul odours, flooding, pollution, and other health risks.

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Septic Tank?

Septic tanks are being phased out, and septic tanks discharging to wet ground, rivers or streams are not allowed. It's advisable to have a survey from our in-house experienced expert in this field, he will explain in detail to you.

See our blog on septic tank regulations.

In most areas of the UK, a treatment plant requires a building notice. If the treatment plant is being installed as part of a new build project, a search and survey is required; please contact our office to make an appointment.

A team of experienced and qualified professionals should always install septic tanks;

After a 20-minute consultation.

it's prudent and cost-effective to use a company that installs on a regular basis (for many years).

Choose a company that's already learnt from its mistakes over the years has lots of support from its office of different experts or informed personnel.

This will ensure that all appropriate precautions and procedures are observed to avoid any potential accidents. Installation close to trees and shrubbery is not recommended; however, a professional will know all of this and ensure your septic tank is installed in an appropriate area, to a high standard, and with all safety precautions in place.

Regulations for Septic Tank Installation

Septic tank installation guidelines and maintenance from ASL Limited

All septic tank installation should be carried out by a professional so that all requirements and relevant legislation are followed. To ensure the regulations are followed when installing your septic tank, the two bodies that may be required are the local authority building control and the environment agency.

These institutions are helpful, although their job is not to give the advice and guidance needed to reference a treatment plant and discharge point or where a soakaway must be situated; they are not there to solve problems, they are not always an experienced expert, and the tanker drivers are often good-hearted hard-working individuals and are not experts please pass on your concerns via the Tanker Driver or a phone call to our office.

If you're installing a brand-new septic tank system on your property and need answers or have questions, then it is best practice to have a test hole survey carried out. This will give you solid information and answers. For example:

information on the type of ground, damp, wet, dry, chalk, stone, light aerated soil,
a full porosity test will show how fast or slow fluid would drain away. That will determine the type of system required.
calculate the discharge from the property based on how many bedrooms, as per the guidelines.
information on the main public sewer: is it within a reasonable and affordable distance of your dwelling
if the system, including drainage field or the discharge, meets the binding rules
meets the building regulations

The Current Standards for New Systems:

The installation standards for new system requirements:

small sewage treatment plants.
for drainage fields

Your treatment plant will have to meet the British Standard at the time of Installation.

If you do not meet the general binding rules

If your sewage treatment system does not meet the general binding rules, you must either:

Connect to a public foul sewer if it's 'reasonable' to do so - contact ASL Limited about main drain connections to public sewers.
Change your system so that it meets the general binding rules - ask for treatment plant installations at ASL Limited on 0800 181 684

If you cannot do either of these things, you must apply for a permit.

It is on British Water's list of approved equipment.

One of the most important installation regulations is that your treatment system must be installed properly and have enough capacity to serve not only your existing daily requirements based on bedrooms but also that of future occupiers, visitors and guests and any future extensions.Your treatment system must be big enough to comfortably hold the maximum amount of sewage it will need to cope with.

If the sewage in your system increased because you've extended your property or now have more bedrooms, more children and grandparents living in your home, you must ensure the treatment system is still big enough.

However, if your property is situated only 30 metres away from a public mains sewer line, the Environment Agency binding rules will require you to connect to the mains public system rather than installing a sewage treatment unit.

If you would like to find out more about septic tank drainage give us a call on 0800 181 684 today.