When does this law take effect?
Your septic tank and septic tank discharge will need to meet regulations by the 1st January 2020
Does this affect me?
If you are a home owner with a septic tank, then yes, you may very well be affected! Equally if you are a developer who is proposing septic tanks on your development then yes you will also be affected.
How do I know if I need to do something?
Look through your paperwork, this should give insight as to when your septic tank was put in, how large it is and where the effluent discharges to. If it does not discharge into a drainage field then you are in breach of the new regulations and this will need to be remedied.
I cannot find any paperwork, what do I do?
This is a tough one as you need to know where the effluent goes but with it being underground this obviously isn’t the easiest of tasks. This is Law so you do need to find out, We can attempt to CCTV from the septic tank however depending on the configuration of your tank this may not be possible, we can work out where the pipework is without the need for an excavation utilising specialist equipment, however this does not provide evidence as to whether the pipework is fit for purpose. If we are unable to locate the pipework with this equipment or you suspect that the configuration is faulty than that we would need to dig the area up to discover where it flows to and ascertain it's validity. Once we have ascertained where it goes we can either sign it off that it is within regulations or carry out works to amend it.
What if I do nothing and I’m not up to regulations?
This is legal and if you get found out you could be in a lot of trouble with the EA if you do nothing after being advised that you must. This will include fines and possibly jail time not only that but you will not be able to sell your house if you do not provide documentation stating that you are within regulations.
How much will it cost?
The cost of work will of course depend on the level of investigation that is required and what work needs carry out there-after. If you are a requiring an initial quote for investigation works or know what need to doing, get in touch, we will arrange a free site visit and competitive quote ASAP.
Find out all you need to know regarding the new septic tank regulations here on our information page
Talk to your local Metro Rod specialist
We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00
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