Sewage Waste Regulations
As of January 2012, all discharges from septic tanks and sewage treatment plants will have to be registered with the Environment Agency.
STOP PRESS…..UPDATE
UK residents in England currently have no need to register their septic tanks or sewage treatment plants with the Environment Agency, but this doesn’t apply to Wales and Scotland.
Historically, anyone with a waste water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant or a septic tank that discharged into the ground or a water course needed to have consent to discharge from the Environment Agency. This situation is now changing and consent to discharge has now been replaced with a permit to discharge under the Environment Agency’s ‘Environment Permitting Program’.
This program aims to provide a single streamlined system of dealing with waste and pollution and the second stage (EPP2) includes:
• Water Discharge Consents
• Groundwater Authorisations
It is our understanding that these rules changed as of 6th, April 2010, and that as a consequence of this change, under the new EPP2 regulations, only sewage treatment plants with the EN 12566-3 2005 Certification are allowed to register for the Discharge Permit or Exemption now required by the Environment Agency.
However, there is an Exemption scheme in place since plants that have the above certification, if properly used and maintained, should not present a pollution problem. It is possible to register for an Exemption from a Permit to Discharge under the following circumstances:
• Sewage Treatment Plants discharging less than 5m3 per day into surface water (equivalent 27 population)
• Septic Tanks / Sewage Treatment Plants discharging less than 2m3 per day into groundwater (equivalent 11 population)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can everyone apply for an exemption?
No, you will have to comply with certain criteria.
Are there further requirements for obtaining a Discharge Exemption?
No trade waste.
No available connection to a foul sewer within 30 meters.
EN 12566 Certified Product.
Product must be maintained and/or emptied according to manufacturer instructions.
Watercourse into which you are discharging must not run dry in the summer.
No discharge within 1km of bathing waters.
Standard Permit Criteria
If you are discharging 5-20m3 per day (above 27 population).
Unit must be a treatment plant not a septic tank.
No trade waste.
No available connection to a foul sewer within 30 meters.
EN 12566 Certified Product.
Product must be maintained and or emptied according to manufacturer instructions.
Watercourse into which you are discharging must not run dry in the summer.
No discharge within 1km of bathing waters.
Bespoke Permit (if you don’t meet one of the other criteria above)
If you are discharging:
More than 20m3 per day to surface water (above 27 population)
More than 2m3 per day to ground (septic tank up to 11 population)
Will I need an exemption certificate if I already have a septic tank or a sewage treatment plant installed?
Not if you already have consent to discharge certification, but if you do not hold such consent you will have to apply for either an exemption or a Standard permit.
How much does it cost?
The exemption certificate is free of charge but the standard permit can cost up to £850.
What products are EPP2 approved?
All septic tanks and sewage treatment plants from The Drainage Company conform to these standards, however the EPP2 will not tell you which products conform - be aware that some products do not conform.
If the product is approved will I still need planning permission?
Yes, you will need the following:
Have planning permission from your local authority.
Have an exemption certificate or standard permit.
Adhere to section H2 of the building regulations and BS 6297 2007 for drainage design.
What will happen if I don’t comply?
You could be prosecuted and incur heavy fines because of:
Environmental pollution.
Building regulations violation.
Planning permission violation.
Can anyone install the unit?
It is not mandatory to use a professional installer, but there are risks to consider when installing the unit without a professional:
Manufacturer requirements for installation must be met or the warranty will be void.
No sewage treatment plant will work properly if installation is not absolutely correct, and if you have to reinstall, the costs can be higher than for the initial installation.
Please call us at The Drainage Company if you would like more information on installations or any related products – we’re happy to help and give you the benefit of our experience in this field so feel free to ring 0800 0850640
Note: This information is based on our understanding of the relevant legislation and legal requirements regarding the disposal of waste.