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Developers and owners of off-mains properties have tended to adopt the cheapest option when dealing with the problem of effluent - after all a new kitchen is preferable to buying a sewage system which is going to be buried in the ground out of site. The consequences, however, for purchasing "the cheapest" disposal system you can find can run in to thousands of pounds costs plus risking the health of people near to you. For years, the classic septic tank has been the traditional specification that was thought to best serve the needs of its users effectively and at an affordable price. However, it's fair to say that the words 'septic tank' also tend to send shivers down the spines of would be purchasers and builders alike. Immediate thoughts of high maintenance and hassle spring to mind but with the emergence of higher spec sewage treatment plants is that a fair assessment or have they really had their day?
Discharge is the biggest problem when considering the installation of a septic tank for a domestic dwelling. The importance of a pleasant garden or outside area is paramount in the minds of home- buyers. The possible impact from untreated effluent from a septic tank is obvious. Due to their limitations a 'Soak-away' must be used because if it were allowed to discharge straight out, there would be a substantial impact on the immediate locality, such as visual and biological pollution of ditches, streams and the surrounding land. Or it may be in a less obvious way such as damage to the water table causing possible problems to drinking water supplies.
All of these issues are real stumbling blocks as purchasers are acutely aware of the importance of clean living as well as their own personal impact on the environment. However, these concerns are now a thing of the past thanks to the continued development of domestic sewage treatment plants from various manufacturers such as Titan. The choice of plants on the market is strong and the specification from producers keeps improving. Titan's Biotec Sewage Treatment Plant, one of the market leaders, effectively tackles the obvious problems of the septic tank head on. Amazingly, Biotec is able to discharge the resultant treated effluent into a much wider range of receiving environments thus ensuring more flexibility in their use and siting. This is achieved through a complex programme that more than meets the Environment Agency's requirements.
It must be remembered that a septic tank 'soak-away' cannot be installed within 10m of a watercourse, within 1.0m of the local water table, within 50m of a bore hole and must be down slope of any ground water source, not within a zone 1 ground water source protection zone, in heavy clay soils, and must be at least 15m from any building, no water supply pipes or underground services must be located within the disposal area.
Clearly, as septic tanks have very limited treatment processes in place, there is little in the way of an effective reduction in the pollutants derived from their discharge. Users are therefore reliant on the 'Soakaway' or "Biological Treatment Field" to minimise hazards and pollution, some thing that the appointed ground-worker needs to install effectively and correctly. Details re proper design criteria for "Biological Treatment Fields" may be found within Building Regulations Approved Document H2.
However, with the Biotec sewage treatment plant there is no requirement for further treatment before the discharge is released so there is generally a cost reduction against the installation of a septic tank which can be passed onto the customer. And in terms of the impact on a property's price, a domestic sewage treatment plant can actually add to or maintain the value of a property on which it is installed.A key unique selling point that is that Biotec systems do not omit any noise or odour. They are also visually discreet with lockable covers that are flush to the floor allowing pedestrian traffic. Nowadays, potential property buyers are looking for simple yet effective treatment methods with as little impact on their daily lives as possible. Regular emptying of septic tanks can cause disruption but with Biotec only one annual service visit is required. The main reason for this is to check the small electrical blower sited remotely from the plant. The Biotec system is so 'simple yet effective' with no moving or electrical parts within the standard systems that there is very little that can go wrong and as such there is a high level of trust and peace of mind amongst users.
Potential purchasers of small domestic sewage treatment plants should always check that the system has approval from the British Board of Agrement, and ask for a copy of the BBA certificate relating to the specific model to be purchased. Only the top suppliers in the market will be able to supply a BBA Certificate as many on the market do not work efficiently enough to be awarded the certificate which relates to structural and process performance. Plus with an initial installation price of around £2,500 and average annual electrical running costs of £38 on a domestic dwelling more and more home owners and developers are realising Sewage Treatment Plants really are unrivalled in terms of value for money and quality of life!
The consequences of a poorly designed sewage treatment system can be expensive and a risk to health. Prior to all works to replace an ageing septic tank, or installing a new system for a new development it is recommended that the specialists are called to ensure that the scheme will conform to the relevant standards.