New septic tank rules came into force on 1 January 2015. If your septic tank system was installed and in use before 31 December 2014, it is classed as an ‘existing discharge’. If it was installed and in use after that date, it is classed as a ‘new discharge’
Rules for both existing and new septic tank discharges in England.
Septic tanks settle the solids in the sewage ad then discharge the liquid septic effluent to ground via a correctly designed and constructed drainage field – not a soakaway pit, soakaway crates, tunnels of ezy drain. These are not allowed for sewage effluent dispersal.
They cannot discharge into ditches, streams, rivers, surface water drains or any other type of watercourse. Under the new Environment Agency General BindingRules, if you have a septic tank that discharges directly to a surface water (ditch, stream,river etc) you must replace or upgrade your septic tank treament system to a full sewage treatment plant by 1 January 2020 or when you sell your property, if it is before this date. All septic tanks that currently ultimately discharge into watercourses will have to be either;
Replaced using a sewage treatment plant with full BS EN 12566-3 Certification instead or the discharge to the watercourse stopped and diverted to a drainfield, designed and constructed to the current British Standard BS6297 2007.
For further information regarding septic tanks please call us on #0151 495 1929