Sewage pumping chamber

[zippyelise]

Hi all,

my septic tank is failing and now is the time to connect to the main drains I feel as we'll be doing another extension soon that will require this.

However, rather than connecting to the road, we have an agreement in writing to be able to connect to next doors drain system.

The pipe work is in place beneath an extension we had built and has a straight run to next doors drain which is less than a foot behind the fance, so that part is easy.

However the fall is not quite enough for sewage so we've been advised that we need a pumping chamber in between.

The only quote I've had so far is £5k(!) fitted...

Surely it can't be that expensive to pump waste fifteen feet along a straight pipe?

I know that the tank needs to be quite large to accomodate a couple of days waste but £5k??

Does anyone have any experience of this sort of situation or have any suggestions to an alternative solution?

Many thanks

Clive

 

[zippyelise]

Have I put this in the correct forum?!

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I'd put the 5K towards getting a straight gravity connection to the road. (You may even get some change!) Basically fit and forget, and if it bungs up you've only yourselves to blame!

Pumping stations are fine where there's no other option, but as you have found you need a large tank + a big hole to put it in, and associated construction costs, an electrical supply for the pump, an annual service charge for the pump etc, and if it does break down then you'll need to pay a contractor to get it emptied pending pump being fixed/replaced.

Pumps can be sensitive to what is put down the toilet, I have been to several jobs where pumps have failed, one on a small housing development where 'J' cloths had jammed the pumps, another was a prison. 3 heavy duty pumps and all 3 had failed due to sabotage!