The majority of residential properties in England and Wales are connected to the public foul drainage system and property owners do not have to consider how their waste will be dealt with. However, if you own a property that is not connected to the public system, it is likely that your foul drainage will be dealt with by a private system, most commonly a septic tank or a sewage treatment plant. If you own a property connected to such a system or are thinking of moving to a rural area where these facilities are more prevalent, it is important to ensure that the system complies with current Environment Agency requirements.
As from April 2014, the Environment Agency's position is that it may be necessary to register a small sewage discharge from septic tanks and small sewage treatment plants. If a householder discharges to ground in a source protection zone 1, an Environment Agency permit is required. There are criteria which, if they are met, exempt householders from needing an Environmental permit and the detail of this information can be found by following the link below.
The Environment Agency will be reviewing this position by 31 December 2014. Accordingly, it is important to ensure that the regulations are met if you are selling or buying a house which is served by a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant. This is an important area because if a discharge has caused, or is likely to cause, pollution the Environment Agency can take enforcement action against the property owner.
For more information follow the link: Publications
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