Septic tank, small garden, change to treatment plant, regs?

[yeast]

I have a traditional 1970s brick, 2 chamber septic tank with a soakaway. No mains sewerage anywhere near us, nor any plans to construct, in completely rural area.

I would like to replace current septic tank with biodisc treatment system, which outputs very clean water, however, I am baffled by the regs.

They seem to state that the drainage/soakaway must be 15m away from property, even for a treatment plant producing pure water. Well, I have got a small u shaped garden, which surrounds my detached house (built 1850, parts much older) around 7 metres from each side of house. No way have I got 15m to play with. I have neighbours on each side, no ditches, except on other side of lane opposite house. They managed to fit the existing soakaway successfully in the 1970s with no probs.

I have considered getting highways to dig trench and bury drainage pipe to ditch on other side of road so can discharge from biodisc system there, but have been told this may cost upwards of 14k and would involve getting consent of land owner who is not too friendly - unlikely to consent!!

Can the regs be contested in exceptional circumstances? Does the council have discretion? Are there any technical solutions (eg harvesting the water output) which would bring me in line with regs as regards drainage from biodisc system where space is tight and cant meet the 15m rule? Do the regs apply as I am not installing a completely new system, but modifying and improving an existing system? I have contacted local council for advice, but not much forthcoming as yet.

Has anyone else had experience of this? Surely there must be loads of small, rural cottages with modest gardens who won't be able to improve their old septic tank systems because of these regs?

Any advice/information gratefully received.

 

[bernardgreen]

Since you have existing soak aways close to the house you may be given an exemption from the 15 metre rule.

I believe the rule is there to protect you house from the effects of untreated sewage getting into the soakaway when the treatment plant fails.

With the septic tank failure is very unlikely ( other than bacteria no moving parts ) so the 15 metre rule was never seen as necessary. For a domestic sewage pump ( delivering to main sewers ) the minimum distance from house for the sump tank is at least 5 metres. You could try that approach with the Building Control Office for a relaxation.

 

[Nakajo]

I wonder if there's a local Approved Inspector with particular experience of these systems.