Septic tanks.....again

[holwellcourtfarm]

As I understood it water companies are allowed to let it go in periods of intense rainfall as the system can never handle it?

Depends on the conditions attached to the discharge consent for each sewage works. Some around here are approved to discharge millions of untreated litres of sewage up to 4 times per year so long as they meet their conditions the rest of the time

Beckton STW (East London - one of the biggest in the UK) used to release massive quantities of raw sewage into the Thames in every heavy rainfall event until the Northern Outfall Sewer Scheme and Thames Tideway Sewer were built

 

[steveR]

As I understood it water companies are allowed to let it go in periods of intense rainfall as the system can never handle it?

That is certainly the case of the site I mentioned. I wonder what the EA would say if a farm slurry or silage effluent store had the sdame issue with a heavy rainfall....?

 

[Kidds]

Well I can tell you what the EA have to say about manure effluent running down the road and pooling at the end of my lane into a frothing lake of pee that I have to drive through, blocking a grid and overflowing into someone else's land.
This was the EA guy that was sent to look at it after someone reported it and I quote "I don't see what we can do about it as it is difficult to see exactly what offense has been committed".
I gave him a list to be going on with.

 

[phillipe]

Well I can tell you what the EA have to say about manure effluent running down the road and pooling at the end of my lane into a frothing lake of pee that I have to drive through, blocking a grid and overflowing into someone else's land.
This was the EA guy that was sent to look at it after someone reported it and I quote "I don't see what we can do about it as it is difficult to see exactly what offense has been committed".
I gave him a list to be going on with.

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Ffs

 

[steveR]

Well I can tell you what the EA have to say about manure effluent running down the road and pooling at the end of my lane into a frothing lake of pee that I have to drive through, blocking a grid and overflowing into someone else's land.
This was the EA guy that was sent to look at it after someone reported it and I quote "I don't see what we can do about it as it is difficult to see exactly what offense has been committed".
I gave him a list to be going on with.

Jeezus! I suspect the issue was the EA bod could not see an easy bust....

 

[ollie989898]

Well I can tell you what the EA have to say about manure effluent running down the road and pooling at the end of my lane into a frothing lake of pee that I have to drive through, blocking a grid and overflowing into someone else's land.
This was the EA guy that was sent to look at it after someone reported it and I quote "I don't see what we can do about it as it is difficult to see exactly what offense has been committed".
I gave him a list to be going on with.

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What an utter cretin!!

If an EA bod cant follow a line of pish or work out where he came from he should be euthanised. Where do they find these people? Let me guess he had a fudging MSc in ecology!

 

[Kidds]

I think that's how it all works, just prosecute a high profile case every now and then so the rest of the time they can do feck all while the rest of us worry about our every move.
I told him it was going down the grid and therefore into the nearest stream until the grid got blocked. He told me repeatedly that the grid wasn't on their system so as far as they were concerned it didn't exist.
He repeated it so many times that eventually I pointed to a tree and asked if it was on there system, when he said no I asked him if the tree in front of him existed or not. That flummoxed him.

This stream of shite down the road is from a massive manure heap in the field. Massive in area rather than height as it is too sloppy to stack. He knew it was there as he told me he had photographed it but still said there wasn't an offense. In reality he was just following protocol which means he has to turn up but they were never going to take any action. Must be the easiest offense in the world to prove so that tells you where they are at.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Well I can tell you what the EA have to say about manure effluent running down the road and pooling at the end of my lane into a frothing lake of pee that I have to drive through, blocking a grid and overflowing into someone else's land.
This was the EA guy that was sent to look at it after someone reported it and I quote "I don't see what we can do about it as it is difficult to see exactly what offense has been committed".
I gave him a list to be going on with.

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@360farmsupport ?
Seems mad?

 

[Wastexprt]

@360farmsupport ?
Seems mad?

Not an easy one as the effluent needs to hit a watercourse, however it could, potentially, pollute groundwater, which the EA can bend in to an offence where they feel like it.

 

[farmer0102]

Do these modern tanks need electric?. Bit of a bind if they do if you have a path/patio round the house.

For anyone still considering this we put a non-electric treatment plant in there and its brilliant. Short term its more expensive than some of the other options, but based on the savings Ive had already I reckon it'll save me money in the long run. I believe you can just buy the biomodules too to upgrade your current septic tank aswell if you wanted. The company we used were really helpful when we called up. Ive attached a link to their page.

 

[steveR]

For anyone still considering this we put a non-electric treatment plant in there and its brilliant. Short term its more expensive than some of the other options, but based on the savings Ive had already I reckon it'll save me money in the long run. I believe you can just buy the biomodules too to upgrade your current septic tank aswell if you wanted. The company we used were really helpful when we called up. Ive attached a link to their page.

What was a ball park cost?

How frequently do you need to pump out your tank??

Looking at an "upgrade" for here, and wondering on the most cost effective option. I could, in theory, use pumped system to a nearby sewer, but then have the problems of dealing with WaterPlus...!!

 

[Ukjay]

For anyone still considering this we put a non-electric treatment plant in there and its brilliant. Short term its more expensive than some of the other options, but based on the savings Ive had already I reckon it'll save me money in the long run. I believe you can just buy the biomodules too to upgrade your current septic tank aswell if you wanted. The company we used were really helpful when we called up. Ive attached a link to their page.

Do these units you fitted smell fishy?

 

[colhonk]

Says the outlet pipe is at the base of the unit,? How deep will a drainaway from it be?

 

[ollie989898]

Well, apparently the solution highlighted earlier in this thread is to build a fudge-off big tank, call yourself a water company and wave good bye to the carp by opening a big sluice during the next heavy rainfall event?

 

[farmer0102]

What was a ball park cost?

How frequently do you need to pump out your tank??

Looking at an "upgrade" for here, and wondering on the most cost effective option. I could, in theory, use pumped system to a nearby sewer, but then have the problems of dealing with WaterPlus...!!

They certainly aren't cheap I think it depends if you are looking short term or long term. Obviously its nice not having any daily operational costs. I think it was around £7000 mark , I think you can just buy the bioreactor which is cheaper but I can't remember how much that was.

I have had the tank for about 7/8 months and I am yet to have to pump it out. I was told I will only have to de sludge every 5 years if you are smart about it and so far so good.

 

[farmer0102]

Do these units you fitted smell fishy?

No it doesn't, so far so good!

 

[farmer0102]

Says the outlet pipe is at the base of the unit,? How deep will a drainaway from it be?

Yes the outlet is at the base. About 1m I think

 

[DrWazzock]

Says the outlet pipe is at the base of the unit,? How deep will a drainaway from it be?

The outlet appears to be 1.5 metres below the inlet and I presume needs to be free draining. My existing tank inlet is maybe a foot below ground with the outlet drain about 18" below ground, though it runs away and ends up deeper, but I doubt it ever gets 1.5m below inlet. Bit of a show stopper for me, unless I installed a pumped output sump which would need electricity to pump it up to outlet drain level.
Even if your exisiting outlet is 1.5 m below inlet, then if you have a high water table in winter then I'd imagine you'd be stuffed without pumping the water away.

 

[DrWazzock]

How do any of these systems cope with 3 ft long hair? Not me, The Mrs.

 

[farmer0102]

How do any of these systems cope with 3 ft long hair? Not me, The Mrs.

Not been a problem for me and my Mrs so far, who I reckon also probably has about 3ft of hair!