Neighbour draining rainwater into my septic tank (Ed.)

[Roy Bloom]

I accept that one person is now paying for empty but it will occur at twice the original period so overall its cost neutral cost
Also accept half the rainwater will half the possibility of inundation but if that hasn't been an issue in the past why worry about it for the future.
Overall not fussed eitherway just trying to advise the OP not to get fretted out about a non issue.

It is easily possible to have a 1 in 100 year downpour, or that there is more rain now than when the sceptic tank was designed and installed.

I wouild still take umbrage if my neighbour wanted to use my sceptic tank without contributing.
As I'm sure they would also.

 

[Dereekoo]

It is easily possible to have a 1 in 100 year downpour, or that there is more rain now than when the sceptic tank was designed and installed.

I wouild still take umbrage if my neighbour wanted to use my sceptic tank without contributing.
As I'm sure they would also.

And of course a 1in 100 storm could happen tomorrow and also next week and the week after or not for 200 years , if I was the neighbour I would agree to pay pro rata on the solids deposited and disposed of from the septic tank as if no one deposited anything there would be no operational costs except long term maintenance which tends to be a build and forget issue in septic tanks

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Rainwater should NEVER enter a septic tank or sewage treatment system of any kind, whether it's your own or a neighour's. We had exactly this botched situation when we moved in, and have spent £1000s and lots of work correcting it.

The issue is that when it rains heavily, the vast amount of water at a high flow rate will rinse out the septic tank, so the Poo Pee and Paper that's sitting in it will, instead of sitting there nice and settled on the bottom, get stirred up into a slurry. This disgusting stinking goo will either enter whatever river or drainage ditch your system discharges into or, just as bad, if your system uses percolation pipes then it will block all the holes and permanently stop it working altogether.

If the discharge is to an open water course then it's OK to couple the rainwater to the OUTLET of the septic tank, i.e. combine treated sewage with fresh rainwater. In fact this can be a good thing as it keeps the pipes beyond fresh and clear. If this is your scenario then it could be a good option, if the neighbour is willing to make a fair contribution.

If the discharge is to a percolation system then don't do it, as it will get overwhelmed in heavy rain. You would be likely to end up with bursting drains and spewing toilets if it backed up.

I don't have a degree in sewage (does such a thing exist?) but have had to learn lots to sort out the mess some cowboy builder made to our place lots of years ago, as a result all our crap was pouring into a ditch further down and making the place stink.

 

[Stivino]

I don't have a degree in sewage (does such a thing exist?)

I can assure you it does. And, it's clear that you don't.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I don't know what the legalities are where the water from house A's roof goes along the gutter into house B's downpipe, as it sounds like this situation is.

If I was in this situation I'd find out the legal situation before demanding anything from them. It may be just tough, and all your problem.

There are definitely degrees in law, hopefully someone has studied such a thing and could advise you. Hopefully they're more helpful than the forumite who apparently has a degree in poo, who has so far offered nothing other than bickering.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Plus... if the discharge is to an open water course then you are legally required to install a Sewage Treatment System, and are not allowed to use a normal Septic Tank at all any more, even if already installed and working. They're basically a septic tank with an extra stage, usually involving aeration. We've got one, they're great and don't really smell of anything.

 

[Stivino]

Do you have a biodisc?
I haven't bickered, it is your good self and Bloomin' Roy who are bickering.

 

[Dereekoo]

I can assure you it does. And, it's clear that you don't.

You could just point in the direction of CIWEM, IPHE, IWPC to give a bit more clarity on "Sewage Degrees"

 

[mattylad]

Or you could do a simple google search and you would find that there is in fact degrees available for wastewater management.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

The point is that the alleged professor of poo has provided zero help on his expert subject.

Just don't put rainwater in a septic tank!

 

[Stivino]

Just don't put rainwater in a septic tank!

Your explanation of why you shouldn't do that doesn't hold water. Many septic tanks have rainwater passed through them with none of the effects you mentioned.

 

[noseall]

Just don't put rainwater in a septic tank!

WTF? Why not?

 

[Dereekoo]

doesn't hold water.

Hope the tank does

 

[Brigadier]

What shouldn't go into a septic tank | NetRegs | Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland

www.netregs.org.uk

A quick Google comes up with the above, among many others.

My reading of it is that the tanks are designed as an environment for balanced decomposition of what goes in, with guestimates of input (sewage and domestic waste water).
Rainwater quantity is so unpredictable, that the system isn't designed to remain in balance, and therefore stops working as it was...............designed for.

?

 

[Roy Bloom]

WTF? Why not?

What shouldn't go into a septic tank | NetRegs | Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland

www.netregs.org.uk

A quick Google comes up with the above, among many others.

My reading of it is that the tanks are designed as an environment for balanced decomposition of what goes in, with guestimates of input (sewage and domestic waste water).
Rainwater quantity is so unpredictable, that the system isn't designed to remain in balance, and therefore stops working as it was...............designed for.

?

In my amateur opinion, I agree with Brigadier, and I thank him for explaining it so eloquently.
Rain water has the potential to inundate the tank.
I can understand that there are times when rain water is directed to the tank, but if it's avoidable, it should be avoided.
If a sceptic tank is possible, a soakaway. or other mechanism, must be equally poossible for the rainwater.