Environmental Permitting (England and Whales) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2014 came into force on 1st January 2015 and created General Binding Rules (GBR’s) for septic tanks or small sewerage Treatment Plants for domestic use. These rules are designed to reduce the level of pollution from sewerage in the nations watercourses.
Under the new General Binding Rules, if you have a Septic Tank that discharges directly to surface water, ie, a water ditch, stream, river, etc, you must upgrade or replace your Septic Tank to a full sewerage Treatment Plant System by 1st Jan 2020, or sooner, if you plan to sell the property before this date.
What are the current methods of discharging wastewater from Septic Tanks?
Previous to the General Binding Rules, wastewater from Septic Tanks was typically discharged in the following 2 ways;
- Drainage Field/Soakaway System – Wastewater is released through a network of pipes in surrounding sub-soils, providing an additional form of treatment for the waste from the Septic Tank. This helps to ensure that the wastewater being dispersed does not cause pollution.
SEPTIC TANKS DISCHARGING INTO A DRAINAGE FIELD/SOAKAWAY ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE 2020 REGULATIONS.
- Directly to surface water – Wastewater flows through a pipe directly into a stream, river or lake.
BINDING RULES STATE THAT DIRECT DISCHARGE FROM A SEPTIC TANK INTO A WATERCOURSE IS NOT PERMITTED.
So, what are the options?
Well, if your waste water is being dealt with by a Drainage Field/Soakaway then you need not take any further actions. If however your system is discharging directly to a watercourse then please read on to find out what 4 options you have available.
- Connect to the Main Sewer – This may not be possible in remote locations, although pump chambers can be used to direct wastewater to the main sewer.
- Install a Drainage Field (Designed in accordance with BS6297) – This allows the Septic Tank to discharge wastewater into the ground instead of surface water. In many cases, the installation of a drainage field is not possible due to site constraints such as space and/or the soil not having sufficient drainage potential (I.e. Rock, Clay, High Water Table)
- Install a Septic Conversion Unit – These can be installed and connected to an existing Septic Tank. This treats the wastewater to a sufficient quality allowing it to be discharged to surface water.
- Upgrade your Septic Tank to a Treatment Plant System – This eliminated the need for a Drainage Field and ensures that the wastewater is fully treated before being discharged.
At ECS we have 10 years experience installing and maintaining these systems and would be more than happy to assist you with any work you think may need doing. We will ensure that your system meets with these new regulations. Please contact us directly for more information on these services.
