Throughout the UK, residential and commercial wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks are used for the safe treatment of wastewater. Essentially, they allow properties to treat their water independently of public sewers, meaning it can be recycled. In some cases, a Soakaway is also required. In this article we answer the question, do I need a soak? There is a lot of misinformation on the internet about Soakaway boxes. The Environment Agency and UK Building Regulations classify any work to upgrade, repair or replace an existing septic tank or soak as a «modification». From 01.01.2015, the rules known as the General Binding Rules for Small Wastewater Discharges came into force for all owners of drainage solutions outside the electricity grid, which include septic tanks, wastewater treatment plants and sumps. These rules and regulations allow exceptions for old septic tanks, but not the duration of their unloading. These rules have firmly transferred legal responsibility for compliance to the individual owner – so if you have an off-grid drainage system, you need to understand your responsibilities and Soakaway`s building regulations. You`ll also need to keep detailed records of what your system is, how it`s maintained, and how it`s maintained. Soaking can also be blocked if solids or sludge in the tank are not removed.
Over time, the amount of sludge in the tank will continue to accumulate, so it is important that you organize a septic tank emptying company to remove the sludge in the system. If you do not organize it regularly, the sludge can penetrate the mud and block it in turn. If the septic tank and soaking were installed more than 15 years ago, you do not need permission to replace or modify your septic tank or soak. – Section H of the UK Building Regulations is the authority for the construction and installation of septic tanks and soaking. However, it should be noted that although Soakaways require little maintenance and are reliable because drainage is natural, if they get it wrong for any reason, it could lead to potential problems. Building rules and codes for soaking related to rotten drainage state that soaking is no longer an acceptable method of disposing of surface water and drainage waste. Instead, a drainage field should be used for anything that is not rainwater. If you use a Soakaway for rainwater, it must be located more than five meters from a building and two and a half meters from a boundary. Soakaways must also not come into contact with the water table and have sufficient storage capacity; Allow the water to absorb into the soil before it overflows. There are strict Environment Agency regulations for Soakaway. A disposal system or drainage field must meet certain criteria to meet established regulations.
They are: Many people also use septic tank worms to decompose and eat sludge. All Soakaway boxes comply with Section H of the UK Building Regulations. We sell septic tanks and septic tank immersion kits. For free advice on septic tank issues or septic tank regulations, please call 0800 907 0051 Not if the septic tank and soaking were installed more than 15 years ago. If you install a new rotten acid or drainage field, you must inform your local planning office. However, if you install a replacement Soakaway; Then you usually don`t need a building permit. For all types of Soakaway, building control guidelines must be followed. These are addressed in the 2010 Building Code Section H Drainage and Waste Disposal, which you can find here.
Dig a hole in your garden about 300 mm square and 300 mm deep. Pour a bucket of at least 10 liters of water into this hole. If the water is soaked in about two hours, Soakaways should work just fine. The Soakaway should, of course, be located at the deepest point of the rainwater drainage system. The width and depth of the hole is determined by the size of the boxes you will use. The hole is then lined with a geotextile film, which allows water to drain but prevents the cavity from filling with soil, the boxes are then placed in the excavated hole, and then the geotextile is wrapped around the entire structure. If the septic tank or septic tank was installed less than 15 years ago, all work performed must meet certain requirements set out in Division H of the current building by-law. The Environment Agency and UK Building Regulations classify any work to upgrade, repair or replace existing septic tanks or soaking as a «modification» and can be replaced as the same. However, any work done by you or a contractor must be performed responsibly and must not pose a risk of pollution of the environment or waterways. Do I need to contact the Conrtol or Environmental Acency building before installing, repairing, replacing or soaking the septic tank? Since then, I`ve been helping other people across the country with their septic tank problems. For over 20 years, I have been installing, repairing and selling septic tanks, Soakaway kits and wastewater treatment plants.
I even advise for UK Building Regs and the Environment Agency. If you are building soaking in topsoil, then no. Topsoil is defined as the outermost top layer of soil. The depth of topsoil varies and can usually be between 6 and 35 inches deep. It offers the best protection in the world because it has the highest concentration of bacteria, microorganisms and organic matter for biological activity. When it comes to building a Soakaway, the traditional method was to dig a hole and fill it with broken bricks and rubble. It`s cheap, but it limits the actual amount available for rainwater. The modern option is to use special plastic boxes called dip or padding boxes. These leave practically the entire room open to be filled with rainwater and are therefore much more efficient. The boxes can be mounted at two or three depths and clipped together for strength and at different depths. What is the law regarding the location of a Soakaway septic system? This is the most common method, as it is a proven solution that many installers use when it comes to installing a packaged wastewater treatment plant or septic tank.