First things first... what kind of system do you have?

Cesspit

Great, the 2020 regulation changes will have no impact on you or your system currently, however if you are thinking about upgrading to a septic tank keep the changes in mind as these will affect the options available to you. If you have any questions regarding the changes, upgrading your cesspit or if you would like to discuss the emptying requirements of your cesspit, please give our office a call on 01737 842509 or drop us an e-mail at info@clearmasters.co.uk and we will be more than happy to discuss your options with you.

Septic Tank

Ok, as you are likely to be aware, your sewage tank has an outlet which allows the liquid (final effluent) to exit the tanks whilst holding back the fats, grease and solids awaiting us to come and dispose of for you. Regarding the regulations, this outlet will go to one of two places. Do you know where your outlet discharges to?:

  • Drainage Field or Soakaway To a Watercourse No Idea!?

    Drainage field or Soakaway

    Perfect, the 2020 regulation changes will not affect you as your final effluent percolates through holes or slots in the pipework, into the surrounding sub-soils. This provides the final form of treatment of the water, and it allows the waste water to disperse safely without causing a pollution. If you have any questions about the changes, about the treatment of your waste water or to arrange an empty of your septic tank please give our office a call on 01737 842509 or drop us an e-mail at info@clearmasters.co.uk and we will be more than happy to discuss these with you.


    To a watercourse

    Unfortunately, this is not great news! From 2020 your system will no longer abide by the environment agencies rules and regulations. The EA consider that this water is no longer of an acceptable standard to be discharged directly into local watercourses without causing pollution.

    Now, this isn't an entirely new rule. For some years now, property owners have not been allowed to install a new septic tank which discharges to a watercourse. However, if your property already had a septic tank discharging to a watercourse, unless the EA identified that it was causing a pollution, you were able to carry on.

    To rectify this problem, you will need to either install a drainage field (a series of pipes with allows the final effluent to percolate through holes or slots into the surrounding sub-soils) or you could install a new sewage treatment plant which is a modern adaption on a septic tank, with electro-mechanical parts aiding the treatment process. You must replace or upgrade the system by 1st January 2020 - or before that date if you are selling your property.

    If you have any questions about the changes or about upgrading your septic tank to a treatment plant or having a drainage field or soakaway installed give our office a call on 01737 842509 and we will be more than happy to discuss your options with you.


    No Idea!? No Problem!!

    No problem give our office a call on 01737 842509 and we will be more than happy to have a chat to see if we can determine where your effluent discharges. If we are unable to over the phone, we could utilise CCTV equipment to follow your outlet pipework to its destination.

Treatment Plant

Excellent, the 2020 regulation changes will have no impact on you or your system, however this is only if your treatment plant is producing a clean effluent. You should be aware that under the general binding rules set out by the government, your sewage treatment plant should be emptied or serviced once a year as a minimum. If you have any questions about the changes or about maintaining your treatment plant give our office a call on 01737 842509 or drop us an e-mail at info@clearmasters.co.uk and we will be more than happy to discuss this with you.


Not Sure? No Worries...

Don’t worry, most people don’t want to have to worry where their sewage goes after they pull the plug or flush the toilet, and quite honestly, we don’t blame them. There are a few indicators which can point you in the right direction…

How often do you have tankers arrive to remove your waste? If its yearly, you will almost certainly have a septic tank or treatment plant as cesspits require emptying as often as monthly.

Is there a control panel for your sewage system? This would indicate a sewage treatment plant as the moving components, pumps, aerators and alarms would normally require this. The exception to the rule would be if you had a pump chamber helping to pump the waste from one location to another possibly uphill if your garden requires it.

Do you have any paperwork from when you purchased the property? This would likely include specifics of your sewage system and possibly a homebuyer’s drainage survey which would give you detailed information of plant type and its location.

Contact us or your current registered waste carrier. We can’t speak for every company, but we keep records of all visits which includes the type of system installed to the property so just pick up the phone and we can help.

Of course, none of these indicators are 100% fool proof, if you are still unsure please do not hesitate to contact us and our team will be more than happy to help you get to the bottom of what system you may have.

Liquid waste disposal and drainage services in the South East of England

From our base in Reigate, we regularly provide our liquid waste disposal services throughout the South East of England, including:

Contact Us

01737 842509Out of Hours: 07747 350278 info@clearmasters.co.uk