Septic Tank Regulations
Septic Tank Legislation- Update 2020:
We have previously explained the regulations involved with septic tanks. However, there will be new legislation in 2020. If you have a septic tank that discharges into rivers, canals or other water streams, you will be required to upgrade or replace your septic tank with a full sewage treatment solution by the start of January 2020. If you are a home owner and plan to sell your property before 1st January 2020, you will need to also upgrade or replace before selling the property.
News about the new legislation for households, there is a lot of misinformation out there.
To save you time reading the full Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations. We will summarise the key points.
Septic Tanks- Your General responsibility
Owners of houses who have a septic tank system should be aware of the positioning of their septic tank system and its parts. You should examine your system at least once a year to make sure that no evidence may be causing pollution or that it requires some maintenance.
Percolation area should also be examined to ensure that it is not damaged. You should make sure that the area is kept free from disturbance from vehicles, animals, sports activities or other activities likely to break the surface of the septic tank.
By carrying out these examinations and maintaining your septic tank system, the householder will reduce the likelihood of the system causing any risk to human health or the environment and keeping it in tiptop shape. Most septic tanks should last more than 10 years and could even with the correct maintenance last up to 30 years and above. Regulations will check discharges from the septic treatment system in three ways.
1. Provide that a domestic septic waste water treatment system should be operated and maintained by the owner so to ensure that it is not discharging (e.g., seeping, leaking or otherwise escaping) from a place or part of the system where it is not designed or intended to discharge.
2. Making sure that the effluent discharge pipe from the treatment system should not discharge directly to the surface of the ground or result in domestic wastewater or other effluents from the system rising to the surface of the ground.
3. Regulations will provide that a treatment system should also not directly discharge domestic waste water from the system into surface waters, such as streams or ditches, except where this is licensed under Section 4 of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977.
Sludge Removal
The frequency of removing sludge from a Septic system will vary depending on a variety of factors. The regulations will say that your septic tank should be emptied more often to prevent risk to public health and the environment plus this will help in keeping your septic tank in great condition. The collection and transport of wet waste from a septic tank system should only be collected by either a Government Waste collector or a certified wet waste collector. All wet waste collection companies should be able to provide a satnav tracking system which they can supply you with. This will tell you where the tanker dropped of the waste. All domestic waste water sludge’s should be disposed of in accordance with existing legislation.
Example: Household of 6 people with a tank size of 3,400 litres is recommended to be emptied very year while a household of 4 with a similar tank size is recommended to be cleaned every 1.8 years.
Fees Payable
A registration fee, which is set at €5, applies for the first three months of the registration period, until 28 September 2012. A €50 will apply after that and registration must be completed on or before 1 February 2013. So get those registrations done ASAP
Owners of a Septic tank waste system shall be responsible for its maintenance and ensure they are fit for purpose, operational where appropriate and kept in good order and repair to prevent a risk to human health or the environment. Septic tank emptying should be carried out by a contractor who is authorised under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007.
Need a to empty your septic tank? Call Tardis Environmental today for a Septic tank emptying service. Free phone 0800731 0589.