Septic Tank and Foul/Rain water mixing

[acesumper]

Hugh, this post is a bit old but thought worth a reply. Not too sure if I agree with your statement about septic tanks needing to be emptied. I recently lived in a rented house on a farm, built in the 1950's. The farmer told me that he had only ever had it's septic tank emptied once in all that time. The then tenants used bleach and other not good stuff going down the drain. Once a tea towel needing rodding out of a blocked pipe. Surprised, I said exactly what you suggested about regular emptying. He smiled and said that up at the farmhouse, the septic tank there had never been emptied in all his life, and he was soon to be 74 years old. And there were 5 people up there. I don't know how big that the tank was, nor did I intend to find out!

 

[Johnny Allround]

Septic tank rules and regulations changed on 1/1/2020. The rule of thumb is that a shared septic tank should have shared responsibility and costs ie emptying or repairing. Tanks should really only take the foul waste from properties , surface water does complicate the natural bio breakdown within a septic tank and also has a detrimental effect on the soakaway as the high content of silt and soil particles can eventually cause blockages. There are various ways to capture surface water from the roof of your house and as I understand it you take some of your neighbours, waterbutts are good you can then recycle that water back to the garden. The other option is to leave them as natural soakaways. Without surveying your properties and tank it’s very difficult to give you a definitive answer as to what you and your neighbours should do including do,s and don’ts about what should be discharged into it. There more complicated now the environment agency is involved.