Module 4: General Binding Rules EA rules for off-mains discharge

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General binding rules

New rules came into force on 1 January 2015. If your system was installed and discharging before 31 December 2014 you have an ‘existing discharge’. If your system was installed and discharging on or after 1 January 2015 you have a ‘new discharge’.

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General binding rules

You must follow the general binding rules if you’re the operator of a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant.

The sewage must:

be domestic in nature, for example from a toilet, bathroom, shower or kitchen of a house, flat or business (such as a pub, hotel or office) - contact the Environment Agency if you’re not sure if the sewage is domestic in nature

not cause pollution - find out how to check for pollution

There are other rules depending on whether you’re releasing this sewage:

to the ground, for example in your back garden

to a surface water, for example a river or stream

Slide 27

General binding rules

• Releasing to the ground
• You must use a septic tank or a small sewage treatment plant and a drainage field (infiltration system).
• You must apply for a permit if you release (‘discharge’):
• to a well, borehole or other deep structure
• more than 2 cubic metres (2,000 litres) per day
• in a groundwater source protection zone (SPZ1)
• You must also read the additional rules for discharging sewage to the ground.

Slide 28

General binding rules release to ground

Use the correct treatment system

You must use a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant to treat the sewage and then discharge the effluent (treated liquid) to ground via a drainage field.

A septic tank is an underground tank where the solids sink to the bottom, forming a sludge, and the liquid flows out to a drainage field.

A small sewage treatment plant, also known as a package treatment plant, works in a similar way to a septic tank but uses mechanical parts to treat the liquid to a higher standard before it goes to a drainage field.

A drainage field, also known as an infiltration system, is a series of pipes with holes placed in trenches and arranged so that the effluent can trickle through the ground for further treatment.

You cannot use a soakaway (designed for draining rainwater), well or borehole for discharging effluent to ground. Instead you must either upgrade to a drainage field or apply for a permit so that the Environment Agency can assess the risk of using this sort of system in your location.

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General binding rules release to ground

Your treatment system must meet the right British Standard

Your treatment system must meet the relevant British Standard in force at the time of installation. The standards currently in force for new systems are:

BS EN 12566 for septic tanks and small sewage treatment plants

BS 6297:2007 for drainage fields

Your septic tank or treatment plant met the British Standard in place at the time of installation if:

it has a CE mark

the manual or other documentation that came with your tank or treatment plant has a certificate of compliance with a British Standard

it’s on British Water’s list of approved equipment

You can also ask the company that installed your equipment to confirm that it complies with the British Standard that was in place at the time the equipment was installed.

If your treatment system was installed before 1983 there was no British Standard in place. You do not need to do anything to meet the British Standard requirement. You must still meet all the other general binding rules.

Slide 30

General binding rules release to ground

Your treatment system must be installed correctly and have enough capacity

Your treatment system must be large enough to handle the maximum amount of sewage it will need to treat. If you install a new septic tank, small sewage treatment plant or drainage field you must check with the installer that it meets the sizing requirements in British Water’s Flows and Loads 4 guidance.

If the amount of sewage the system needs to treat increases (for example, because you’ve extended your property or connected an additional property) you must make sure the treatment system is still big enough. You must also recalculate the maximum daily volume of your discharge and apply for a permit if it is more than 2 cubic metres (2,000 litres) a day.

Your treatment system must be installed in line with the manufacturer’s specification (the instruction manual or technical set of requirements that comes with the equipment).

Slide 31

General binding rules release to ground

Have your treatment system regularly emptied and maintained

You must get the sludge that builds up in your septic tank or small sewage treatment plant removed (desludged) before it exceeds the maximum capacity. As a minimum, you should have your treatment system desludged once a year or in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.

The company you use to dispose of your waste sludge must be a registered waste carrier. Ask the company to confirm this when you arrange to have your tank emptied or ask the tanker driver for a copy of the company’s waste carrier certificate.

You should have your treatment system regularly maintained in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. If these are not available, ask your local maintenance company for advice.

Slide 32

General binding rules release to ground

You must have your treatment system repaired or replaced if it is not in good working order, for example if it has:

leaks

cracks in tank walls or pipes

blocked pipes

signs that the effluent is not draining properly, pools of water around the drainage point

sewage smells

a failed motor

a failed pump

a failed electrical supply

Anyone who carries out maintenance on your system must be competent. Competent people include those on British Water’s list of accredited service engineers.

Slide 33

General binding rules release to ground

You sell your property: tell the new owner about the sewage treatment system

If you sell your property, you must tell the new operator (the owner or person responsible for the septic tank or small sewage treatment plant) in writing that a small sewage discharge is in place.

Include:

a description of the treatment system and drainage system

the location of the main parts of the treatment system, drainage system and discharge point

details of any changes made to the treatment system and drainage system

details of how the treatment system and drainage system should be maintained, and the maintenance manual if you have one

maintenance records if you have them

Slide 34

General binding rules release to ground

You stop using your treatment system: make sure it’s properly decommissioned

You must remove anything that could cause pollution (for example, remaining sludge) when you stop using a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant.

This does not apply if you only stop using the equipment temporarily, for example if your property is empty.

You can ask a maintenance company for advice on how to decommission your septic tank or treatment plant properly.

Slide 35

General binding rules

• Releasing to a surface water
• You must use a small sewage treatment plant. You must apply for a permit if you’re discharging more than 5 cubic metres (5,000 litres) per day.

You must also read the additional rules for discharging sewage to a surface water.

Slide 36

Releasing to a surface water

Use the correct treatment system

You must use a small sewage treatment plant to treat the sewage if you’re discharging to a watercourse such as a river or stream. A sewage treatment plant (also known as a package treatment plant) treats sewage to a higher standard than a septic tank.

Discharges from septic tanks directly to watercourses are not allowed under the general binding rules.

You should get advice from a competent service engineer if you need help understanding:

what treatment system you have

what you are required to do under the general binding rules

British Water provides a list of accredited service engineers. There may be other competent service engineers.

If your septic tank discharges directly to a watercourse, you need to do one of the following as soon as possible:

connect to mains sewer

install a drainage field (also known as an infiltration system) so the septic tank can discharge to ground instead

replace your septic tank with a small sewage treatment plant

You must have plans in place to carry out this work within a reasonable timescale, typically 12 months.

Slide 37

General binding rules

Installing a new system

You must have building regulations approval.

You may also need planning permission.

Check with your local council.

If you did not get permission and approval

You must apply retrospectively for building regulations approval. You may also need planning permission.

If your system was installed before 1 January 2015, you should contact your local council for advice.

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