Septic Tank and Sewage Treatment Plant Legislation and Regulations
All you need to know about Sewage LEGISLATION
- Confusion surrounding the EN 12566-3:2005 explained
- Emptying of Septic Tanks and Sewage Treatment Plants
- Building Regulations – relevant to sewage treatment plants and Septic Tanks
- The Environment Agency’s Regulations
PACKAGE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS (under 50 population) INSTALLED UNDERGROUND WHICH ARE NOT SUBJECT TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
The new Standard for packaged underground sewage treatment units under 50 persons sold in most of Europe is the EN12566-3 2005. The EN12566-3 is also required for CE marking, and CE marking is mandatory in the UK. Any plant, or conversion system, which does not have the EN12566-3 Certificate is illegal to be sold in the UK.
The Construction Products Regulations 1991 require Package Sewage Treatment Plants (PSTP) offered for supply in the UK to be watertight, structurally stable, durable, to have sufficient treatment capacity and to offer effective treatment for the development in which it is to be installed.
Manufacturers wishing to market underground PSTPs in the UK must be able to provide incontrovertible evidence that their plant satisfies these criteria. This evidence is provided by having the BS EN 12566-3 Certificate.
The EN12566-3 Certificate is absolutely mandatory under the Construction Products ‘CE Marking’ Directive. It is also a requirement under Environment Agency General Binding Rules that all sewage treatment plants have this Certificate
The British Standards Institute have advised us that ONLY package plants which have the EN12566-3 2005 Certification are legal in the UK.
The Environment Agency requires all new septic tanks to have the EN12566-1 Certificate under the General BInding Rules.
The EN 12566-3 only tests the percentage reduction of the influent pollutants in the sewage and gives no guarantees that the final effluent quality will satisfy the Environment Agency Consent Standard that you have to adhere to. Another anomaly is that the manufacturer can decide how many litres of sewage the plant treats each day and some plants are only tested for 4 people when they are sold as 6 person plants.
Again, BEWARE – before purchasing any sewage treatment unit we would strongly recommend that you see the manufacturers INDEPENDENT final effluent test report to make sure that the unit produces an effluent standard of no greater than 20:30:20(BOD:SS:NH3) on a 95 percentile basis as this is the Standard required in the UK and many sewage treatment plants which have the EN12566-3 do not meet this Standard.
DEMAND THE TEST REPORTS, NOT THE CERTIFICATE! – you may be surprised when they are refused!
The EN 12566-3 2005 does not cover the systems below, some of which have their own EN 12566 category:
Septic tanks – EN 12566-1 or 4
Sewage treatment plants over 50 persons size – EN 12255 parts 1 to 16
A = Wastewater
B = Pre-treated Wastewater (Septic Effluent)
C = Treated Wastewater (Cleaned Effluent)
1 = Prefabricated Septic Tank
3 = Packaged and/or Site Assembled Wastewater Treatment Plant
4 = Septic Tank Built in situ
5 = (No longer applicable)
6 = Pre-Fabricated Treatment units for septic tank effluent
7 = Prefabricated Tertiary Treatment Units
IF IN DOUBT – FIND OUT!
The “Permit Exemption” and “Permit to Discharge” are no longer legal requirements attached to the property if the treatment plant that serves it has an EN12566 Certificate. If the system does not have an appropriate EN certificate, then you still need a Permit. Not to have one can pose problems in the event of a sale of the property.
In all cases. your system MUST adhere to the General Binding Rules, or you will need a Permit for whatever system you install.
Building Regulations – relevant to sewage treatment plants and Septic Tanks
The Building Regulations 2000 – Drainage and Waste Disposal 2002 edition Part H-H2 Package Sewage treatment Works
The main provisions of these regulations are:
- The Sewage Treatment Plant must be sited more than 7m from habitable property
- The soakaway must be a minimum of 10 metres from a watercourse, 15 metres from a building and 50 metres from a borehole or spring.
- The soakaway must be designed to BS6297: 2007 and all percolation test results must be submitted.
- The discharge point shall be more than 10m from habitable property
- If the discharge is to a soak away a sampling chamber must be provided before the soak away
- Soakaway drains must be constructed in the aerobic soil layer, i.e. within 700mm. of ground level.
Emptying Septic Tanks and Sewage Plants
Septic Tanks and Sewage Treatment Plants can ONLY be emptied by licensed waste disposal companies, NOT the local farmer with his slurry tanker.
It is highly illegal for anyone, other than a licensed waste disposal contractor to empty and dispose of all effluent from septic tanks and sewage plants. The effluent must be taken to fully recognised and licensed sewerage treatment works. The regulated water companies operate these works. It cannot be spread onto farmland, as it is a disease risk for animals and crop contamination. The fines are substantial if the Farmer is caught, and as livestock does not use toilet paper, the source of the manure is highly evident..
Several thousand septic tank drainage soakaways fail each year – CIRIA technical note146
Documents issued by the DTLR and CIRIA all point out that septic tank soakaways are a major cause of sewage treatment system failure. Often, these failures result in septic effluent finding its way into watercourses.
It is also stated in Part H2 of the 2000 Building Regulations that “Septic tank effluent can be harmful” This refers to septic tank effluent in both watercourses and groundwater.
If your septic tank system malfunctions and discharges effluent (no matter how clean) to a watercourse you are committing an offence under Section 85 of the Water Resources Act 1991, rendering you liable on conviction in the magistrates’ court to up to 3 months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding £100,000. On conviction at the Crown Court, you face to up to six months in jail and an unlimited fine.
Under the General Binding Rules, all existing septic tanks that discharge into ditches or streams MUST be replaced by sewage treatment plants – or have drainfields installed – by 1st January, 2020.
You could apply to the Environment Agency for a Permit to Discharge, but Consent would not be given for septic effluent, only for effluent from a sewage treatment unit.
You also cannot discharge into a watercourse or ditch anything poisonous or injurious to fish under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. Septic Tank effluent is extremely poisonous to aquatic life.
If, as defined by the Act, the watercourse is a “main river”, the outfall structure may also require consent under S.109 Water Resources Act 1991.
Septic tanks with clinker beds do NOT classify as a sewage treatment plant suitable for discharging effluent to a watercourse as they can never achieve the modern required standards.
As the Environment Agency is consulted by the Local Planning Authority on ALL planning or Building Regulation applications, you cannot escape from their scrutiny. If your development is seen as a ‘risk’ to watercourses or groundwaters, the Environment Agency can issue a Prohibition Notice under Section 86 of the Water Resources Act 1991. This will prevent you from making ANY discharges at all and effectively ends all your property’s sanitation.
Think very hard before installing a septic tank as sewage treatment units are always the better choice
The choice of sewage system should be done very early in your projects development. Environment Agency Discharge Permits can take 4 months to obtain, if your choice of system does not conform to the General Binding Rules, set down by the E.A. in January 2015..
Some sites with clay soils and no access to a watercourse, prove very difficult, if not impossible to sustain any form of drainage or wastewater treatment at all, so it is vital that this area is addressed before purchase.
The Planning Authority consults with both the Environment Agency, or SEPA, Building Control and Environmental Health in order to determine whether your planning application can be passed or not. But BEWARE as some sites sold with planning permission have foul drainage as a RESERVED MATTER and it may not have been finalised.
Building Control is responsible for ensuring that your site drainage and sewage system complies with section H of the building regulations.
Download it from Links.
The NHBC etc.warranty is only given for the sewage system if it is designed and installed to their standards and some Mortgage providers will insist on the property having such a warranty. In any case, they will insist that the treatment system is adequate and sustainable.
You only install a sewage treatment system once – DO IT RIGHT
BEWARE, as many plants, (particularly ‘In Tank’ conversions) sold in the UK have never been tested by anyone, are illegal and do not work – we know, because we service them.
Pitch Fibre
What are Pitch Fibre Pipes?
Pitch fibre drain pipes were conceived in the 1950s and 60s and manufactured using by-products of the coal mining industry. It was hailed as the “wonder product” of its time by the construction trade; used on many new building developments, including everything from housing/factory estates to colleges, hospitals, and other public buildings up until the 1970s. It was light, easy to handle (when compared to its ceramic counterpart) and its push fit jointing design was so easy for contractors to use that this new product soon caught on. Hundreds of miles of pitch fibre pipes were laid throughout towns and villages all across the UK.
Pitch fibre pipes were constructed using papier-mâché infused with hot pitch to form a lightweight and ultra-strong product (at least, it seemed to be ultra-strong at first). Scientists now know that pitch fibre pipes only have a lifespan of somewhere between 35 and 45 years. This product has not been in regular use for some time now, but those with pitch fibre drain pipes still installed in their property may have genuine cause for concern. As pitch fibre pipes age, they come under pressure from ground movement and can collapse, deform, or blister. This leads to blockages which can, in turn, transpire into additional problems.
When a blockage occurs, you will need to remove it by using drain rods, or in extreme cases, high-pressure water jetting. Unfortunately, both of these methods can cause further damage to the inner surface of the pitch fibre pipe, such as delamination, which weakens the tube even more
The only way to find the true condition of your drainage system is to have a CCTV drainage survey. This involves inserting a specialist drain camera into your drainage system and pushing it from manhole to manhole to check the condition of your drains. This will show any and all defects, which might include displaced joints, redundant drain lines, collapse or partial collapse, tree root ingress, distortion of pitch fibre pipes, or blistering and delamination of pitch fibre pipes.
Southern Drainage and water have all the newest technology required to reform the pitch fibre pipe and install a liner without the need for excavating. In some cases, however, the pitch fibre pipe can be too badly deformed and it will require excavating and replacing with UPVC pipework.
Pipe re-rounding (pitch fibre)
What are pitch fibre pipes?
Pitch fibre drainage pipes were introduced in the 1940s, and used extensively until the 1970s. They were thought at the time to be the latest wonder material, being cheaper than fired clay pipes, and also lightweight and easy to handle. They were made from wood fibre impregnated with coal tar. They performed adequately when dealing with normal waste water, however, they have been found to react badly when subjected to large quantities of hot water, oils and fats which can soften the tar and cause deformation and leaks. The design life of pitch fibre pipes has been estimated at 40 years, meaning that most have reached the end of their life expectancy. In severe cases they can collapse, blocking the drain run.
Repair solution
Using specialist pipe re-rounding equipment we are able to insert a re-rounding pig attached to a winch and reform these pipes, which allows us to install a structural liner strengthening the re-rounded original pipe.
What are pitch fibre pipes?
Pitch fibre pipes were commonly installed between the 1950s and 1970s; they were introduced as a cheaper alternative to the more standard clay pipes. These days new drainage pipes are usually made from plastic, but there are still miles and miles of pitch fibre drainage pipework across the UK, mostly for properties built between the 1950s and 1970s, where there has never been a reason to replace and update them.
Pitch fibre pipes are made from wood cellulose impregnated with inert coal tar pitch. Back in the 1950s these were heralded as a brilliant, more lightweight and cost effective alternative to the heavier clay pipes that were traditionally used. The problem is that when they were made, they often had asbestos added in order to strengthen the pipes. As a general rule, any asbestos present in a pitch fibre pipe will be bound within the coal tar pitch – so it is safe, as long as it is left alone.
Any type of drainage pipe, whether it is pitch fibre, plastic or clay, is subject to the stresses and strains of modern life, but pitch fibre pipes in particular are especially prone to breakage.
What should I do if I have pitch fibre drainage pipes on my property?
If you have pitch fibre drainage pipes on your property and they are not leaking or damaged, it is probably best to leave them as they are. While the asbestos remains undisturbed and deep underground, it does not pose a health risk.
If you have pitch fibre drainage pipes on your property and they do appear to be leaking or damaged, you have two options: you can either excavate the pipework and have it replaced with modern plastic pipework, or you can opt to have the pipework repaired. Many of our customer opt for pitch fibre pipe repair because it is quicker, less time consuming and ultimately less costly that a disruptive excavation and replacement.
Whether you opt for replacement or repair, it is important to note that because of the asbestos element, pitch fibre pipes must only be dealt with by experts who are able to deal with them safely.
How are pitch fibre pipes repaired?
Southern Drainage and Water are specialists in pitch fibre pipe repairs. There are still numerous properties with pitch fibre drainage pipes across the south east of England, and we have repaired many of them over the years.
A damaged pipe can be relined using a polyester and felt lining which is applied internally and covers any cracks or small holes in the pitch fibre pipe. If this is not a suitable approach we may also consider patch lining, where we use a patch to cover a crack or hole. In some instances, if a pipe has more serious damage we may consider Brawloliner. This is a seamless elastic tube which can be used to line pipework that is under intense pressure and perhaps has more joints and corners to contend with.
Can I have my pitch fibre pipes replaced?
We are experts in pitch fibre pipe replacement, and if you decide you want to have new, heavy duty pipes installed in place of existing pitch fibre pipes we can do this for you. We will trace your drains first, to ensure we only dig in the correct places, and our team of experts will get your pipes replaced as quickly and efficiently as possible.
As a general rule, we would usually advise our customers to opt for repair rather than replacement of pitch fibre pipes as this is a more cost-effective and less disruptive method of dealing with any issues. That said, it was recently estimated that the “design life” of a pitch fibre pipe is around 40 years – so we are finding that more and more pitch fibre pipes do need to be replaced.
CCTV drain surveys are a great way to investigate and diagnose drain problems without having to dig up pipework. Our fully trained and experienced engineers use a winch and cable on a reel with state of the art CCTV equipment which allows us to inspect every inch of your drains and effectively diagnose the problem.
A purpose-built camera is mounted at the end of the device, lit by LEDs to ensure a clear picture. This can be moved safely along drainage pipework until satisfactory footage has been obtained.
Whether you have leaking drains, slow draining facilities or a full flood to contend with, we can quickly find the cause of the problem and begin work to resolve any issues.
With most pipework, the sewage system is made using connected sections that overlap slightly. This creates a ridge and slight gap where plants and tree roots can often force their way in. This can soon block the pipe, and can also mean a cracked or completely broken pipe. Other causes of a blockage could be things that have accidentally been put down the drains, or a build-up of debris over time.
Contact us today for a CCTV drain survey.
By using a CCTV drain inspection, we can quickly diagnose the cause of the problem, and we have the necessary skills and equipment to repair damaged pipes with minimal disruption.
With CCTV we can inspect internal parts of your drains in great detail, allowing us to identify both existing problems and any cause for future concern. All of this can be done in a matter of minutes; our equipment can be quickly set up and easily manoeuvred into and around pipework with minimal disruption.
Whether you are in a commercial or domestic property, a CCTV drain survey can be incredibly useful in ensuring your drains are in full working order with no potential issues.
Making sense of FOUL drains and sewer pipes:
Whenever you flush the loo, take a shower or use the dishwasher, the used water disappears round the U-bend, never to be seen again.
It leaves your property via a private drain which serves only you and is your responsibility to look after. At the point your drain connects into a pipe which serves more than one property, or the drain runs beyond your property boundary, the local water authority become responsible for it.
The illustration shows you how this may work.
Surface water drainage:
Surface water drainage occurs when rainwater falls on a property and drains away.
Most rainwater falling on properties drains into public sewers owned by the ten water and sewerage companies in England and Wales. The water companies are responsible for removing and processing this rainwater. The companies collect around £1 billion each year to cover the costs of this service. If rainwater drains from your property into a public sewer, you will be charged for surface water drainage through your sewage bill. If rainwater does not drain from your property into a public sewer, because you have a soakaway or similar, you may be entitled to a surface water drainage rebate.
Highway drainage:
Water that drains from roads and footpaths flows into public drainage systems. This is known as highway drainage. Water companies recover the costs of providing highway drainage from their customers. Highway drainage benefits everyone that uses the road system
What do I do if I have a blocked drain or sewer?
For blockages on a public sewer, please contact your local water authority to confirm responsibility.
Southern Drainage and can clear any blockages from the pipes highlighted in Blue below. The pipes marked in Blue are the responsibility of the homeowner and the pipes marked in Brown are the responsibility of your local Water Authority
(Public Sewer/lateral drain – responsibility of your Local Water Authority
Private Drain – Responsibility of Property Owner)
You may find that a sewer pipe that you share with your neighbours runs through your land. In this case it would be classed as a public sewer/lateral drain and would be our responsibility.
For tenants, you may want to contact the Landlord to assist.
If the blockage is appearing from the upstairs of your property only, it’s unlikely to be from a public sewer.
