Useful information on septic plants

 

Here are some frequently asked questions about why the maintenance of sewage treatment systems:

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What is a septic tank?
 

If you are unable to connect to the mains sewage infrastructure, perhaps because you live in a rural area, you are likely to have a sewage system to deal with your waste. This could be a sewage treatment plant, septic tank or cesspool. In the case of a septic tank, this is a buried, water-tight container usually made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. Its role is to hold the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle down to the bottom forming sludge, while the oil and grease floats to the top as scum. Septic tanks only partially treat sewage at the top of the tank, near to oxygen, and discharge effluent of low quality. The process is mainly anaerobic and therefore much slower than a sewage treatment plant.

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Why is it important to service your septic tank?
 

Here’s just some of the reasons why it is essential you regularly service your sewage treatment system.
 

• Risk of fines
  As an owner of a sewage treatment system, you have a duty of care by law to look after it. If it pollutes the environment, you could be subject to significant fines from the Environment Agency.
   

• Avoid breakdowns
  An unexpected breakdown could come at the worst possible time and result in your sewage system not working for an extended period. For example, imagine it happened over the Christmas holidays and there was nobody available to fix it.
   

• Prevent unpleasant smells
  An overflow or blockage in your system could lead to nasty smells in your home and a backup of sewage in your toilet. Not pleasant for anyone!
   

• Prolong life
  A sewage treatment system is a big investment so you want to make sure it is in good working order for as long as possible. A regular service will help prevent unexpected problems from arising.
   

• Maintain your warranty
  You’ve paid for a warranty on your sewage treatment system so you want to make sure it is valid. It is likely to be subject to you ensuring your system is serviced at regular intervals.
   

• Protect the environment
  Untreated wastewater from failing sewage systems can contaminate nearby wells, groundwater, drinking water sources, and transmit diseases.

 

How often should you service your septic tank?
 

The frequency in which you should empty your septic tank or cesspool depends on the size and type of tank and the number of occupants at your property. As a rough guide, you should get your tank emptied and serviced at least every six to twelve months.

 

How can I tell if my septic tank needs emptying?

 

It is important to regularly empty septic tanks to prevent significant health and environmental risks that can lead to the tank overflowing or malfunctioning.

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If you spot any of the below issues, then it is likely your septic tank needs emptying:
 

• Unpleasant odours near the septic tank

• Pooling of water around the drain field of your septic tank, suggesting that the piping system is blocked and liquid is being pushed to the surface

• Slow-draining sinks and toilets that cannot be fixed by simply unblocking the drain

• Unusually vigorous plant growth near the tank

• Overflowing sludge or scum on the water
   

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What are the new regulations for septic tanks?

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At the start of 2020 new regulations for septic tanks came into force in England and Wales came into force. Now, if you have a septic tank that is discharging directly to surface water, such as a river, ditch or stream, then you are failing to comply with the new legislation. If this is the case, you need to urgently replace or upgrade your sewage treatment system if this is the case otherwise you could be at risk of prosecution or a significant fine from the EA. Please feel free to ask us for our advice on whether your system complies.

What areas do we cover?

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We cover the whole of the midlands and can also work further afield depending on the drainage project. Areas in the midlands that we cover include: 

Birmingham (West Midlands), Coventry (West Midlands), Hereford (Herefordshire), Lichfield (Staffordshire), Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire), Wolverhampton (West Midlands), Worcester (Worcestershire), Shrewsbury (Shropshire), Warwick (Warwickshire), Derby (Derbyshire), Leicester(Leicestershire), Oakham (Rutland), Lincoln (Lincolnshire), Nottingham (Nottinghamshire), Buxton(Derbyshire), Glossop (Derbyshire), Cleethorpes (Lincolnshire), Northampton (Northamptonshire), Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Lapworth, Knowle etc.