Septic Tank

[Palustris]

We have a Septic tank, installed according to the rules in 1900. So it has been in use for 119 years. The discharge is by a infiltration system into the field behind the house, again as it has done for 119 years. Using the Environmental Agency calculator we discharge less than 0.75.cu per day (a lot less as there are only 2 people in the house) So the question for you legal eagles is, Do we need a permit to carry on using it?

[Maydup]

Do you have a single chamber or two?

[DTCwordfan]

Our two chamber one, which is enormous, (probably 10 by 10 by 8 feet in each chamber) acts as its own bio-digester for two people - discharge into a soaker on our own land.

[Maydup]

Our second chamber discharges into our soakaway on our own land. The first one is emptied annually, our choice.

I dont think you need a permit, thousands of people across the country have septic tanks discharging into soakaways and 119 years ago it will have been built beautifully.

[Palustris]

Thank-you.
It is a two chamber build, in thick concrete. It soaks away into the field behind us as I said. As far fas we can ascertain from the Environment Website as the volume of the outflow is less than 2 cu mtres we do not need a permit, but would like to have that confirmed by someone in the know.

[Peter Pedant]

erm yeah I was gonna say
https://www.gov.uk/permits-you-need-for-septic-tanks/general-binding-rules

and you come within the general binding rules with flow less than 2 cu m a day

[Palustris]

The site says you must apply for a permit if the outflow is MORE than 2 cu m a day, ours is 0.75cu, m

[Palustris]

Confusing is it not?

[Palustris]

I think this is the important rule
If there were no British Standards in place when your treatment system was installed (that is before 1983) you do not need to do anything else to meet this requirement.

[Peter Pedant]

// The site says you must apply for a permit if the outflow is MORE than 2 cu m a day, ours is 0.75cu, m.
confuding is it not?

no your outflow is 0.75 cu m which is less than 2 cu m and so you dont apply

there is no implied double negative ( which DOES confuse)

[DTCwordfan]

Two of us but you and the E-Agency haven't met my mother.

[Palustris]

The 0.75 cu m. output is from their figures for a three bedroomed house. From our water meter usage figures (only source of water going into the tank) we use about 75 cu m. of water a YEAR. That works out at around 1.5 cu m. a week. Slightly less than they suggest.
Anyway thanks for the input everyone, we have sent the form back to the Solicitors now, so we will wait and see what happens.

[Peter Pedant]

one of us HAS confused days and years....
I still think you are way under