Are you confused with the regulations coming in from Jan 2020, regarding the discharge of Septic tanks to surface water? Need some advice on whether you maybe affected? Why not give the office a call for some advice – 01420 561 777

Wet Waste Drainage Solutions
Brand New addition to the fleet –
Easy Clean’s newest addition to the fleet. We have recently taken delivery of a new Daf LF 230 chassis with latest low emission engine. Fitted with a stainless steel, fully tipping tank for specialist waste types from heavy sludges such as drilling waste, Oil Interceptors and gully waste. This compact unit allows us to enter sites with restricted access where the larger tankers may struggle. Being constructed of stainless steel allows for ease of cleaning and decontamination between different waste types. The lorry will be located at our Southampton yard covering Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire.
Something a little different for us, but we are never ones to refuse a challenge and when Waitrose Leckford Dairy Farm called us to say their slurry pump had failed, we sprung into action.
we returned the pump to our workshop and started work:
We modified the high pressure bypass valve which shuts the engine down
Rewired the control panel
And returned the pump fully working.
Do you have a Septic tank or soakaway, New 2020 regulations
I am sure you have been looking online at the new regulations concerning Septic tanks. But if your property has a septic tank – or if you are buying a property with a septic tank there are some things you need to know.
Given the nature of what enters a septic tank, it is understandable that the Environment Agency is eager to ensure that it stays in the tank, instead entering the local water course. So, there are a lot of rules and regulations concerning septic tanks. From where you can install them, to where the water that leaves the tank can end up.
The latest regulations from the government came out in 2015, and are called General binding rules: small sewage discharge to surface water” these can be found on the Gov.uk website.
To a drainage field or soakaway system – The waste water percolates through holes or slots into the pipe work, into the surrounding soils. This provides a form of treatment of the water, and it allows the waste water to disperse safely.
To a watercourse – the waste water would flow through pipe work to a watercourse.
New guidelines now state that you are no longer allowed to discharge untreated water into any watercourse. The Environment Agency have decided that the quality of the waste water is not considered clean enough and will have a detrimental effect on the environment as a whole.
New rules for 2020: If your property’s septic tank discharges to a watercourse, not a soakaway or drainage field, you must replace or upgrade the system by 1st January 2020 – or before that date if you are selling your property.
You do have a couple of options:
There are two main ways in which you can comply with the new regulations:
The sewage must:
be domestic in nature, e.g. from a toilet, bathroom, shower or kitchen of a house, flat or business (e.g. a pub, hotel or office)
not cause pollution
There are other rules depending on whether you’re releasing this sewage:
to the ground, e.g. in your back garden
to a surface water, e.g. a river or stream
Discharges from septic tanks directly to the surface water are not allowed under general binding rules.
If you have a septic tank that discharges directly to a surface water you will need to replace or upgrade your treatment system by 1st January 2020, or when you sell your property if before this date.
If the Environmental Agency finds evidence that your septic tank is discharging to a surface water is causing pollution, you will need to replace or upgrade your system earlier than 1st January 2020. You will usually have to do this within 1 year, although this will be agreed on a case-by-case basis.
You may be able to:
Make sure the surface water has flow.
New discharges are not allowed to a ditch or surface water that does not contain water throughout the whole year. This is unless there is a drought or an unusually long period of dry weather.
New discharges to watercourses that seasonally dry up are not allowed under the general binding rules, nor are discharges to enclosed lakes or ponds.
Contact the Environment Agency www.gov.uk if you are unsure whether the surface water you want to discharge is suitable.
Please call us if you have any questions 01420 56177