septic tank

A Brief History of Septic Tanks

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And thou shalt have a shovel amongst thy weapons, and it shall be, when thou sittest down abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which is come from thee. Deuteronomy 23:13

The Origins

There you have it, the basic sewage disposal system. Dig a hole and bury it, like a cat. I used to have an Irish cat but it had a poo and buried itself. Anyway, onto the origins of septic tanks. Prior to us “digging a hole” our very early ancestors used a form of waste disposal consisting of a biological treatment via land application (we shat on the grass). This was fine for the moving tribes and nomads, there was loads of space and the chances of you treading in someone else’s were slim and even if you did the chances of you being bothered were slimmer but as soon as basic societies were formed we needed another way. A more civilised way.

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sewage treatment plant planning permission

Septic Tank Planning Permission

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Do I require planning permission for a new septic tank or repairing an existing one?

Yes. Our advice is check with your local planning department but usually a new septic tank will require planning permission. Under normal circumstances, completely new septic tanks for new properties or developments will be included within the main planning approval for the new build project. The new septic tank will need to be installed in accordance with Building Regulations. If the new septic tank is replacing an existing system then Full Planning Permission may not be required, instead the work can be carried out under a Building Notice only, meeting the requirements of Building Regulations. It does not matter when your original tank was installed!

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what is a drainage field

Septic Tank Drainage Fields and Soakaways

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What are septic tank drainage fields?

Septic tank drainage fields are an integral part of a septic system. Often incorrectly called soakaways, a drainage field is much more than just a soakaway. A drainage field is a specifically designed arrangement of perforated pipework, laid in trenches to allow the effluent to filter into the ground. They are designed to ensure aerobic contact between effluent and the subsoil. Drainage fields need to be designed to individual requirements taking into consideration ground conditions, flows, property boundaries and many more factors.

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septic tank problems

Septic Tank Problems?

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Do you have septic tank problems?

Septic tank problems such as blocked soakaways, collapsed tanks or systems that are just old and not working can be a real headache if you don’t understand. DJ Wilkinson can help you and give you friendly advice on all of your off mains drainage problems.

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septic tank regulations

Septic Tank Regulations

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Do you know what the septic tank regulations are?

The Environment Agency changed the regulations to simplify the laws controlling small sewage discharges from septic tanks and small sewage treatment plants in England. New regulations The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2014 came into effect in January 2015.

The General Binding Rules set out the conditions in the regulations that allow a septic tank or sewage treatment plant to be used without an environmental permit.

As an operator of a septic tank or sewage treatment plant if you don’t you comply with the General Binding Rules you still need a permit. If you require a permit and do not have one enforcement action will be taken against you.

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Equestrian surface drainage

Equestrian Surface Drainage

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Problems with equestrian surface drainage?

The drainage system of an equestrian surface, manege or riding arena is without doubt the most important thing to get right!

There is no point paying for an expensive surface if the drainage and below ground construction is poorly carried out. A poorly drained surface will lead to surfaces being frozen during the winter, water logged in the spring and autumn and generally un-rideable in the times in between. A well constructed arena will have drainage consisting of a series of trenches containing perforated pipe surrounded in a clean aggregate and geotextile membrane to ensure that water is drained quickly and cleanly from the arena surface. There are various ways to do this and it usually depends on the ground conditions involved.

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Percolation tests

Percolation Test

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What is a percolation test?

A  percolation test is a test to determine the absorption rate of soil for surface water soakaways or septic drainage fields. There are two common types of percolation test, they are different and not to be confused.

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pumping station adoption

Private pumping station adoption?

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What is happening?

Due to the changes in legislation, from 1 October 2016 all eligible private pumping stations will transfer to your local water company. This means the water company will be responsible for the servicing and maintenance of these stations including the running costs.

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National Association of Drainage Contractors

National Association of Drainage Contractors

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We are pleased to announce that DJ Wilkinson is now a member of the National Association of Drainage Contractors. NADC is a central representative body which keeps contractors in touch with local authorities, government departments, agencies and the drainage industry as a whole.

National Association of Drainage Contractors

DJ Wilkinson Ltd

The NADC gives many benefits to contractors including insurance solutions, training and HSEQ advice. We are looking forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with the NADC going forward.

www.nadc.org.uk