Private Sewage Disposal

It is not always possible to dispose of sewage from domestic or industrial premises via a public sewer:

• the sewer may not be available;
• the cost may be prohibitive;
• the sewer system may be overloaded and unable to accept additional flow;
• the effluent may be unacceptable to the sewerage authority.

Sewage must then either be treated to an acceptable standard or stored in a cess pit and removed by tanker.

A cess pit is a sealed container which holds all the flow from the foul drains until it can be removed by tanker. A cess pit may need emptying every month, at a cost of several thousand pounds a year, and should only be used as a last resort.

Septic tanks have traditionally been used for isolated properties, but the effluent is poor quality and can only be discharged to an underground soakaway system. There is a tendency for the soakaways to block up with time, leading to surcharging of the house drains. The Environment Agency and building control authorities are often adopting a policy of opposing septic tanks, even where subsurface disposal is possible.

There is a range of package sewage treatment plants available, including types designed by us. We can advise you of the most suitable type for your location. It if often possible to upgrade an existing septic tank or cess pit installation to a standard which would allow discharge of the effluent to surface waters.

Private disposal of sewage will generally require a discharge consent. This may be as stringent as the standards imposed on the water authorities themselves.

We can arrange the various permits and building control applications on your behalf, and arrange for contractors to install the necessary plant and drainage connections.