Soakaway installation/move

[GJUK]

Hi guys,

My soakaway is currently installed near to a building and I want to have it moved. I can see at the moment I have a 2 chamber septic tank which is where the water from the soakaway comes from, and what appears to be an electric pump which forces out water via 25mm MDPE pipe (blue)

Is this a common type of design for a septic tank outlet? The pump has a float attached to it, when the water reaches a level it switches on and start pumping out the water.

I want to extend the soakaway to about 45 metres away from the septic tank, will I need a more beefy pump? The current run is about 20m.

Here is a photo (nothing that horrible to see).

Thanks,

 

[tomfe]

Not being silly are you sure it's a septic tank for foul water and not for rain water.

 

[wessex101]

It looks like a small domestic sewage pump. Does the outfall have to go uphill to reach the soakaway?

Off the top of my head I do not know pumping distances but they come in different sizes depending on distance/head required. Just look up the various manufacturers recommendations.

 

[Ian H]

I would say that's uncommon but it would be easy to attach a 50mtr roll of 25mm to test it.

 

[GJUK]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yes it is 100% a septic tank, thanks.

What are the pumps referred to please, 'submersible septic tank pumps'?

There is a slight rise in land level, which might be why this option has been decided upon.

Do I need any building notice/permission to relocate the soakaway?

Thanks guys.

 

[Ian H]

I don't know. I've never seen a septic tank with a pumped outlet to its soak away. Only pumps on tanks that pump foul to a higher drain.

It looks very dirty to be the 2nd chamber of a septic tank.

 

[tomfe]

You don't need planning permission to relocate a soak away, however if you move the discharge you may need to as it looks like an unusual arrangement.
Maybe you have a drainage field or dyke somewhere which it runs into.

 

[GJUK]

There is no drainage field or dkye, it runs in our own load and soaks away under the surface of the land.
I'm not sure how clean you'd expect water in the 2nd chamger of a septic tank to be - this is everything but the solids and I'd expected it to be like this?!

 

[charliegolf]

A poo pump (I have one) would not have a 1" discharge pipe, even with a macerator.

 

[Ian H]

Saniflows can pump out in 3/4 pipe.

I'd be wanting to drink the water that flows out of the second chamber

Sometimes (by accident) I do

 

[charliegolf]

Saniflows can pump out in 3/4 pipe.

They do, usually into a gravity feed 4" drain, not a medium head discharge to a sewer.

 

[GJUK]

This is not pumping anything other than dirty (very) water.
The system works fine, it just needs moving as it will be under a driveway where it is currently.

The main question is the legal process of having to do the works? Building regs requiring notice, even just moving a soakaway?

 

[wessex101]

Extract from Building Regs requiring application.

• The provision, extension or alteration of a controlled service or fitting (drainage, boiler or other heated appliance, unvented hot water systems, mechanical ventilation systems), replacement windows and electrical work in dwellings

So technically yes you would need an application. Personally I do not think I would bother as you are just replacing an existing soakaway, albeit in a new location.

 

[GJUK]

Thank you.